As the conflict in Ukraine enters a new phase of escalation, discussions over sending Western troops and private defense companies to Ukraine have been revived, Le Monde has learned from corroborating sources. These are sensitive discussions, most of which are classified – relaunched in light of a potential American withdrawal of support for Kyiv once Donald Trump takes office on January 20, 2025.

The debate about sending troops to Ukraine, which French President Emmanuel Macron initiated at a meeting between Kyiv’s allies in Paris in February, was strongly opposed by some European countries, led by Germany. However, it was relaunched in recent weeks thanks to the visit to France of the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, for the November 11^th commemorations. “Discussions are underway between the UK and France on defense cooperation, particularly with a view to creating a hard core of allies in Europe, focused on Ukraine and wider European security,” confided a British military source to Le Monde.

‘Not ruling out any option’

These are comments in line with those made by the French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, on a visit to London on November 22. In an interview with the BBC on November 23, he called on Western allies to “not set and express red lines” in their support for Ukraine. When asked about the possibility of sending French troops into the field, he declared: “We do not discard any option.”

The French Ministry of the Armed Forces and the Elysée Palace have not as yet given the green light to the deployment of conventional troops – or private contractors. But for several months now, such proposals have clearly been on the table. One of these concerns Défense Conseil International (DCI), the Ministry of the Armed Forces’ main operator for monitoring French arms export contracts and transferring related military know-how. DCI is 55% owned by the French state.

Composed of 80% ex-military personnel, DCI would be ready to continue training Ukrainian soldiers in Ukraine, as it is already doing in France and Poland. If necessary, it could also maintain French military equipment sent to Kyiv. To this end, DCI has been approached by Babcock, its British counterpart already present in Ukraine, to share the latter’s local facilities. In May 2024, Babcock announced that work was “underway” to create a technical support site in Ukraine – “including [for] the repair and overhaul of military vehicles,” it wrote in its 2024 annual report.

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