Several NATO countries, including the US, Germany and the UK, ruled out deploying ground troops to Ukraine earlier this week after French President Emmanuel Macron declared that it “cannot be ruled out,” according to Emerging Europe.
“We should not exclude that there might be a need for security that then justifies some elements of deployment. But I’ve told you very clearly what France maintains as its position, which is a strategic ambiguity that I stand by.”
In response to Macron’s statements, US President Joe Biden declared that the “path to victory” was to provide military aid “so Ukrainian troops have the weapons and ammunition they need to defend themselves.” The White House stated:
President Biden has been clear that the US will not send troops to fight in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that nothing had changed and no European country or NATO member state would send troops to Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen argued this week that unanticipated profits from Russia’s frozen assets should be used to buy weapons for Ukraine, as discussions intensified among European allies on how to continue supporting Kyiv.
It is time to start a conversation about using the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets to jointly purchase military equipment for Ukraine. There could be no greater use for that money than to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday a new economic platform to promote a permanent dialogue between the state and business called Made in Ukraine.
“I am glad to announce today the launch of our new economic platform, and therefore a new economic policy — the Made in Ukraine policy. We have to win [the war], it is a matter of our survival. And in order for Ukraine to have all the necessary resources for its victory, then Ukrainian goods, Ukrainian services, Ukrainian consumption, and Ukrainian exports, that is, Ukrainian entrepreneurs, must also win.”
The tension around the war in Ukraine is starting to heat up. The US declared that it was closely monitoring the situation in the Moldovan region of Transnistria after local officials appealed to Moscow for “protection.”
Transnistria, which borders Ukraine to the east, has been maintaining autonomy from Moldova for three decades backed by Russia. Now, Kyiv is concerned that Moscow could use Transnistria to open a new front in the south-west, towards Odesa.
