“We will be ready to deploy forces within the framework of security guarantees if this is necessary for Ukraine,” Shiel said.
He also noted that 2026 will be the “year of coalitions,” as Paris is counting on joint actions with NATO and EU partners. During the large-scale exercise Orion 26, French troops will test their ability to operate in multinational and interagency formats.
According to him, French ground forces are already ready to respond to three potential challenges, including possible deployment in Ukraine. For this purpose, a reserve of about 7 thousand military personnel has been created, which can be deployed in a period of 12 hours to five days.
Context
For the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the likelihood of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine in 2024. This idea was also supported by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. According to media reports, in the spring of 2025 he announced his readiness to deploy 10 thousand British troops in Ukraine. The corresponding plans were discussed within the framework of the “coalition of the willing,” of which dozens of states became members.
Following a summit of European leaders with US President Donald Trump in Washington on August 18, US and European officials began drafting a proposal that would include security guarantees for Ukraine. A working group was created, which included advisers to the leaders of countries on national security issues, and was headed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Among scenarios that, according to media reports, this group is considering – sending a military contingent to Ukraine within the framework of guarantees.
British Defense Minister John Healey said on August 15 that the British side is ready to send troops to Ukraine if a truce is reached with the Russian Federation. According to media reports, Great Britain is ready to send troops to Ukraine to protect the sky and ports. The United States will not send troops to Ukraine, Trump said, but is “ready to help from the air.” According to him, France and Germany are ready to send military contingents to Ukraine, in addition to Great Britain. Estonia and Lithuania also announced their readiness to station their military in Ukraine.
On August 30, The Telegraph reported that a “coalition of the willing” had reduced the number of military personnel willing to send to Ukraine after the war.
