Army Chief Says France Is Ready to Send Troops to Ukraine Next Year
France is preparing to send military forces to Ukraine as part of European security guarantees starting in 2026, Army Chief of Staff Pierre Schill has said.
He explained that French land forces will be ready to deploy under the framework of future European security commitments to Ukraine.
Russia has expressed strong opposition to the deployment of NATO troops in its neighbouring country.
Speaking before the National Assembly’s Defence Committee, Schill said next year “will be marked by coalitions,” referring to the large-scale French-led Orion 26 exercise, which he said would test coordination among NATO forces.
“We will stand ready to deploy forces within the framework of security guarantees, if necessary, for the benefit of Ukraine,” Schill told lawmakers.
He added that the French Army is capable of responding to three simultaneous “alerts,” including a potential deployment to Ukraine. France currently maintains a “national emergency level” of 7,000 soldiers who can be mobilized within 12 hours to five days, either for domestic missions or for NATO commitments.
The announcement came shortly after Chief of the Armed Forces Fabien Mandon said the French military needs to be ready for a potential confrontation with Russia within the next few years. He claimed that Russia “may be tempted” to expand the conflict to the European continent, a claim Moscow has dismissed.
Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that EU army chiefs were drafting a plan for “security guarantees” for Kiev. It envisions sending around 10,000 troops to Ukraine – one group to train and assist Ukrainian units, and another to serve as a “reassurance force” after a peace deal.
Moscow has expressed strong opposition to NATO troops being deployed to Ukraine, arguing that Kiev’s ambitions to join the bloc were among the key reasons for the conflict. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Western Europe is “doing everything” to escalate the conflict, accusing “non-professionals” in EU governments of failing to grasp the consequences of their actions.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Russia is not opposed to security guarantees for Kiev, provided they also take into account Russia’s interests.
yogaesoteric
November 7, 2025