By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
KYIV PRAGUE/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he “fully stood behind” his remarks about sending Western ground troops to war-ravaged Ukraine and urged allies not to be “cowards.”
Macron spoke during a visit to the Czech Republic, where he was asked about last week’s comments in which the French leader stressed a more significant role for the NATO military alliance in the Ukraine-Russia war.
“We are surely approaching a moment for Europe in which it will be necessary not to be cowards,” the French president told reporters.
Speaking after meeting his Czech counterpart, Petr Pavel, Macron asked: “Is this or is it not our war? Can we look away from believing that we can let things run their course? I don’t believe so, and therefore, I called for a strategic surge, and I fully stand behind that … We want no escalation; we’ve never been belligerent.”
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that NATO sending ground troops would lead to a nuclear confrontation.
Germany’s Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, was quick to dismiss Macron’s statement, saying, “We don’t need really, from my perspective at least, discussions about boots on the ground or having more courage or less courage.”
However, Britain has expressed concern about Germany leaking British military intelligence information, saying it was “a very serious matter.”
SHARING SECRETS
Germany accidentally shared British military secrets with Russia by using off-the-shelf video phone technology to discuss missiles being used by Ukraine. The head of the Luftwaffe told officers that British officers were joining French counterparts in delivering Storm Shadows to Ukrainian soldiers, adding that British troops were “on the ground” in remarks aired by the Russian RT broadcaster.
Separately, German Olaf Scholz suggested that French and British troops are in Ukraine as part of the training. The confirmation came after Worthy News reported in 2022 that NATO troops were in Ukraine, citing a very well-informed American security official.
Yet Pavel, a former NATO general, said the West would not cross “the imaginary red line” by getting involved in combat operations. He stressed, however, that NATO countries training Ukrainian soldiers in Ukraine would be “no violation of international rules.”
Talks about sending more NATO forces come as Kyiv suffered losses on the battlefield, where Russian troops continue their push further into Ukraine.
However, Ukraine claimed a military victory Tuesday, saying it sunk a Russian warship near the Kerch strait in occupied Crimea in what was seen as a further blow to Moscow’s naval power and its control over the Black Sea.
Ukrainian intelligence said seven people were killed and six more injured after the Sergei Kotov was allegedly hit in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Ukrainian military officials claimed the Russian Black Sea fleet ship suffered damage to the stern as well as right and left sides.
NO MOSCOW COMMENT
Moscow didn’t comment yet, but some Russian online media confirmed the sinking of the Sergei Kotov. If confirmed, the sinking would come as a boost for the Ukrainian military, and Macron met Pavel to discuss a Czech plan to buy ammunition for Ukraine outside Europe.
Macron said France backed the idea and supported using earnings from frozen Russian assets in Europe to fund Ukraine’s defense while not touching the capital.
However, Russia warned Tuesday that it has strengthened military forces in the north and west to counter a buildup of NATO forces in and outside Ukraine, stressed Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
In response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Finland has joined NATO, and Sweden is becoming a member after Hungary became the last NATO member to approve the Nordic nation’s entry.
NATO is this week conducting the military exercise called Nordic Response 2024 to prepare for a possible armed conflict with Russia. The alliance says it involves more than 20,000 soldiers in Norway, Finland, and Sweden and will focus on collective defense.
While Kyiv welcomed more military pressure on Russia, it also urged up to 10 European Union member states to deport criminals to Ukraine, including suspects involved with the Wagner group and those accused of large-scale corruption.
At the same time, the international criminal court in The Hague, Netherlands, issued arrest warrants for two senior Russian military figures deemed responsible for missile attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure between October 2022 and March 2023.
They were named Luitenant-General Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash of the Russian armed forces and Admiral Viktor Kinolayevich Sokolov of the Russian navy. It was unlikely that Russia would extradite both men.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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