France hosting chiefs of General Staffs from 34 countries
French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to meet in Paris on Tuesday with the heads of general staffs from more than 30 countries willing to help provide security guarantees for Ukraine.
"The meeting is arranged to discuss support for Ukraine with my British colleague Antony Radakin and with the Chiefs of General Staffs of 34 countries," wrote Chief of the General Staff of the French Armed Forces General Thierry Burkhardt on the social network X.
He noted that the chiefs of staff had met to discuss support for Ukraine. Burkhardt added that this was "a decisive moment that showed Europe's position as a key player in resolving the conflict."
In particular, the meeting is attended by representatives of Albania, Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Turkey.
According to the schedule of the French President published on the website of the Elysee Palace, the meeting of the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of the European Union and NATO on the occasion of the Paris Defence and Strategic Forum is to take place at about 16:30 on Tuesday, March 11.
According to Le Monde, on Wednesday, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu will meet with his E5 counterparts (France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Poland), as well as EU and NATO representatives, and via videoconference with the Ukrainian Defense Minister. According to his entourage, the talks will focus on aid to Ukraine, since the United States has suspended military and intelligence support, as well as on "the necessary rearmament of Europe and our respective countries."
Macron announced the meeting last Wednesday during an address to the French nation. The aim is to discuss the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine, assess the Russian threat in Europe and continue to outline the contours of a common European defence after the signing of an EUR 800 billion plan last week.