French president raised the prospect of Western troops in Ukraine. What was he thinking?

By SYLVIE CORBET
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron appears isolated on the European stage after saying he could not rule out the possibility of Western troops being sent to Ukraine. Faced with a backlash from other European leaders, French officials sought to clarify Macron’s remarks and insisted on the need to send a clear signal to Russia that it cannot win in Ukraine. France’s defense minister said the discussion about possibly sending Western troops to Ukraine centered on using them for de-mining and military training operations, away from the front lines. He said no consensus emerged from the discussion. The Kremlin warned that if NATO sends combat troops, a direct conflict between the alliance and Russia would be inevitable.