No American troops in Ukraine, but allies can make decisions at state or NATO level, says Blinken

The issue of the possible deployment of troops from certain Western countries to Ukraine should be resolved at the level of their governments and NATO, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with French channels LCI/TF1.

President Joe Biden's policy is that there will be no US troops in Ukraine, he. stressed.

"Because for us, this will lead to a direct conflict with Russia, which we want to avoid. It is not in our interests and not in the interests of our allies," said Blinken.

At the same time, partners need to support Ukraine this year and in the future.

When asked if there will be troops from France, Poland, Finland or other countries in Ukraine, the diplomat said that "everyone should make decisions at the national level, as well as at the level of the Alliance."

At a meeting to support Ukraine, which was called by French President Emmanuel Macron on February 26, European leaders discussed the possibility of sending NATO ground troops to Ukraine.

At a meeting with parliamentary parties, the French leader said that sending troops to Ukraine is possible in the event of a possible Russian breakthrough to Kyiv or Odesa.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said that he "does not want the generation to grow up in a world of threats", commenting on Macron's statement about the possible deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine in the future.

On March 5, Macron made it clear that his statement about the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine was "the opening of the debate."

Czech President Pavel also said that the West should not "close the possibility of supporting Ukraine", and called for the expansion of forms of aid, in particular, a possible presence in Ukraine.