French President Emmanuel Macron outlined two main methods for deterring Russia following the commencement of a ceasefire in Ukraine.
- The first echelon of defense will be the Ukrainian military itself.
- The second level should include a system of guarantees and deterrence that military allies are currently working on. This encompasses the deployment of a foreign contingent consisting of only a few thousand troops.
“We are now continuing discussions at the military level on how we envision this deployment, the contribution of each of us, and how to establish these guarantees in the long term,” Macron added.
According to Macron, all of Ukraine’s partners desire a ceasefire that will commence on May 12. After that, guarantees could be established to help deter Russia from further aggression.
Turkey has expressed its readiness to take on the responsibility for overseeing a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the French president also holds the view that Ukraine and Russia can initiate direct negotiations if a 30-day ceasefire is achieved.
In the meantime, President Zelenskyy rejected creating a 15-km buffer zone on both sides of the front line because it will cause additional losses of Ukrainian territory.