At the outset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron pursued a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. Recently, with the war still dragging on, Macron has adopted a far more hawkish position. On Tuesday, March 19, the commander of the French ground forces stated that his troops are prepared for deployment, indicating his readiness to mobilize up to 20,000 soldiers within 30 days for potential combat in Ukraine.
Straight Arrow News contributor Peter Zeihan delves into why France is now seriously considering backing Ukrainian troops. Zeihan explores the potential impact of French military involvement in the war and predicts that this development will likely yield significant results by the year’s end.
Excerpted from Peter’s March 27 “Zeihan on Geopolitics” newsletter:
There’s been recent discussions by French President Macron regarding deploying French troops to Ukraine. Is this really going to happen and why would they do this?
Given France’s nationalist stance, stable demographics, and the evolving European landscape, this appears to be a feasible endeavor. The French stand to gain some insight to tech and new tactics, some resource regulation, and the obvious strategic positioning to support Ukrainian forces and the security interests of wider Europe.
Given the relative speed with which France can make decisions and implement them (when compared to the Germans), this is likely the emergence of the French as an assertive power in European strategic conversations. This move could shake up all of Europe, so I’ll be monitoring this situation as it continues to unfold.