The US affirmed that it would not send troops to Ukraine after Mr. Macron's speech 0
(Dan Tri) – The White House said the US will not send troops to fight in Ukraine, after French President Emmanuel Macron refused to rule out the possibility of mobilizing Western forces to support Kiev.
Ukrainian soldiers of the 114th Territorial Defense Brigade trained outside Kiev in February 2023 under the guidance of a former US soldier (Photo: Foreign Policy/Paula Bronstein).
President Joe Biden `has made clear that the United States will not send troops to fight in Ukraine,` said US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson.
Meanwhile, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the only US military personnel present in Ukraine are those present at the country’s embassy in Kiev to `do important work` on the issue.
Mr. Kirby denied that the US military could carry out certain activities such as mine clearance, weapons production, or cyber operations, as French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne suggested about Western militaries.
But the spokesman added that the decision to send troops to Ukraine was `within the discretion` of France or any other NATO country.
When asked whether the country could send troops to Ukraine for other purposes such as training, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the Biden administration opposes any action to deploy troops to Ukraine.
`We will not send troops to Ukraine. The president has been very clear,` Mr. Miller told reporters.
Both the White House and the US State Department said the top priority is for Congress to approve new military aid to Ukraine.
`Basically, we think the path to victory for Ukraine now lies with the US House of Representatives,` Mr. Miller said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, an ally of former President Donald Trump and leader of the Republican majority in the House, refused to vote on the bill containing $60 billion in aid to Ukraine.
America is not alone
Previously, President Macron suggested that any possibility to help Ukraine win could not be ruled out, including sending Western troops to Ukraine.
`At this time there is no consensus on the official deployment of ground forces… but nothing can be ruled out,` Mr. Macron said at a press conference in Paris.
America is not alone in rejecting France’s ideas.
Russia has warned of total war with the West if Mr. Macron’s proposal comes true.
Mr. Macron did not reveal which Western leaders were open to the idea of sending troops to Ukraine because he wanted to maintain `strategic ambiguity`.
To date, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne has spoken out to clarify the French government’s ideas.
`We have to look at new actions to support Ukraine. These have to meet very specific needs, in particular I’m thinking of mine clearance, cyber defense, weapons production
`Some actions may require presence on Ukrainian territory that do not rise to the level of combat. Nothing can be ruled out,` Mr. Sejourne said.
