Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has stated that France and Poland cannot speak on behalf of NATO when they allow the deployment of alliance troops to Ukraine. He expressed this opinion in an interview with La Stampa newspaper.
“Countries like France and Poland cannot speak on behalf of NATO, which from the very beginning has not formally and voluntarily intervened in the conflict,” Crosetto said.
According to the head of the Italian Defense Ministry, the presence of alliance soldiers on Ukrainian territory will lead to unilateral escalation and close the path to a diplomatic solution to the conflict. He emphasized that his country will continue to support Kyiv but suggests considering how to restore its security and territory through negotiations rather than the deployment of troops.
On March 9, Politico reported that France is creating an alliance of countries willing to potentially send Western troops to Ukraine. Journalists write that, for now, besides Paris, only the Baltic countries are seriously considering this idea.
Later, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the idea of sending troops to help Kyiv is “not unthinkable.”
Earlier, the leader of the French party “Patriots,” Florian Philippot, criticized President Emmanuel Macron’s idea of creating an anti-Russian coalition.