Reference News Network on March 1 According to Russia's "Moscow Komsomol Daily" **February 27**, France** Macron announced that some NATO countries may send troops to Ukraine, although this remark has not been recognized by European leaders, but it may bring a real threat.
According to the report, Stanislav Krapivnik, a military expert and former US military officer, believes that Macron's words have slipped through the cracks, exposing the EU's real plan to actually find a way to send troops to Ukraine.
According to the military expert, the discussions initiated by Macron at the Paris meeting should be seen as a serious signal. "France is currently far ahead of Russophobia, even surpassing the United Kingdom," he said. It is likely that Macron inadvertently told the truth. While all the leaders of the European Union are afraid to shy away from his remarks, I don't think Macron is lying. Not only that, but I think he expressed the truth. That is, Europe is seriously studying how to send troops to Ukraine. ”
According to the report, Krapivnik reminded that there are now many NATO servicemen in Ukraine, but in order to comply with the law, they retired before being sent, but in fact continue to serve their own army.
"As you may recall, a judicial officer was attacked in Kharkiv in mid-January," he said. They are active duty members of the French Foreign Legion. Britain also recently admitted that they had lost 40 officers who were repairing the Patriot air defense system near Avdeyevka. ”
Krapivnik said there are ways to get Western troops into Ukraine. NATO's large-scale exercises "Dragon-24", which is being held on the border between Poland and Ukraine, can be used as a pretext. In his opinion, "this is an ideal excuse to enter Ukraine".
According to the Russian newspaper Novaya Izvestia on February 27, Russian political scientist Andrei Nikulin believes that if what was discussed at the Paris meeting, then it is very likely that it will be the deployment of individual Western aviation, air defense and special forces.
According to the report, he said: "It's all theoretical at the moment. For example, the establishment of a no-fly zone over western Ukraine. For the time being it is difficult to imagine the West sending a large number of ground troops. However, Macron's remarks themselves may have marked a turning point of sorts. This was unthinkable before. ”
Russian journalist Igor Shulika is more pragmatic. "The question is, will NATO go to war with the nuclear powers?" he said. No, it won't. ”
Russian political scientist Maxim Zarov, for his part, believes that this has nothing to do with Macron, and that the whole initiative came from London. "Macron is providing cover for Britain trying to form a 'limited force' to be sent to Ukraine," he said. So even if Macron 'hasn't reached a consensus on this', it is entirely possible that London has already reached such a consensus. (Compiled by Li Ran).