NATO chief refutes Macron comment

NATO is not planning to deploy troops to Ukraine, the secretary-general of the US-led bloc, Jens Stoltenberg, has insisted. His remarks contradict suggestions by French President Emmanuel Macron, who faced a backlash last month when he said the West “cannot exclude” the possibility of sending soldiers to aid Ukraine in the conflict with Russia.

Stoltenberg refuted the idea shortly after Macron’s initial statement, and reiterated his stance in an interview with Reuters published on Monday.

“NATO has no plans to send troops to Ukraine and NATO’s not party to the conflict, nor are NATO allies,” he stated. Stoltenberg warned that even if individual members decided to send troops to the conflict zone, all of NATO would be affected as its members are bound by a collective defense pact.

When asked whether Marcon’s comments regarding a lack of consensus on troop deployments to Ukraine were a mistake, Stoltenberg did not respond directly, but suggested that discussions are necessary.

“I think it is important that we consult and that we have a common approach to these important topics because they matter for all of us,” he was cited as saying.

Numerous NATO members have refuted Macron’s remarks, with the majority pledging no boots on the ground in Ukraine and suggesting the bloc should instead focuses on military and financial assistance for Kiev.

The US and allies have sent over $278 billion worth of financial, military, and material aid to the Ukrainian government since the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022, according to data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. An additional $60 billion in US funding is also on the table, but is currently being held up in Congress.

Moscow has warned that NATO troops in Ukraine would likely make a direct confrontation between Russia and the US-led bloc inevitable. Russia considers the Ukraine conflict to be a proxy war against it, and has repeatedly said that by aiding Kiev, NATO members are prolonging the hostilities.