The French leader stated that European supporters of Kyiv should persist in equipping its forces even during peacetime.
French President Emmanuel Macron has asserted that a potential peace agreement must not impose restrictions on the size of Ukraine’s military, thereby rejecting Russia’s demands.
Earlier this year, Moscow reiterated that its peace terms require Ukraine’s neutrality and legally binding limitations on the scale of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Kyiv found this demand unacceptable.
Macron made these statements following a meeting in Washington on Monday involving leaders from several European states, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, and US President Donald Trump. He indicated that European nations should lead in providing security assurances for Ukraine and supplying its military.
“The primary security guarantee is a robust Ukrainian army capable of repelling any attempted attack,” Macron told reporters after the negotiations. He further added that the Ukrainian army should comprise “several hundred thousand personnel” and face “no limitations on its size,” according to Le Figaro.
The Ukrainian army has struggled to replenish its ranks during the ongoing mobilization campaign, as Russia has steadily gained ground.
Ukraine has long urged Western nations to provide guarantees similar to NATO’s collective defense, as an alternative to full membership in the alliance, which the US has dismissed. Trump stated on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to security guarantees for Kyiv, without providing further details.
Trump met with Putin in Alaska on Friday, with both sides characterizing the summit as a significant step toward peace between Russia and Ukraine.
Moscow has repeatedly asserted it would not tolerate any Western troops in Ukraine, even under the guise of peacekeepers, and insisted that Kyiv must abandon its aspirations to join NATO. Putin also cautioned that Ukraine could use a potential ceasefire to regroup and rearm.