Macron considers sending peacekeepers to Ukraine under UN auspices – The Telegraph

French President Emmanuel Macron is actively considering an alternative to deploying European troops in Ukraine, proposing a United Nations-led peacekeeping force to protect a possible future peace agreement, according to The Telegraph.

This marks a shift from a prior plan developed with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which focused on a European "coalition of the willing" backed by U.S. security guarantees.

Macron raised the UN option during a European Council meeting on March 20 with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, The Telegraph reports.

However, any UN peacekeeping mission would require Security Council approval, a prospect the newspaper called slim given opposition from Russia and potential resistance from the United States.

This week, Macron faced domestic pressure on the issue. Far-left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon urged deploying UN "blue helmets" to safeguard Ukraine’s nuclear power plants if peace hinges on excluding NATO troops.

On March 4, Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally, called sending French troops "madness," suggesting UN peacekeepers as the only viable option.

European nations are crafting a separate plan for a 30,000-strong peacekeeping mission to ensure Ukraine’s security during a ceasefire, relying on U.S. air and intelligence support but not American troops.

German defense firm Rheinmetall has offered to arm such a force.

The Sunday Times reported on March 16 that the West aims to deploy 10,000 peacekeepers initially.

Meanwhile, European military leaders were set to meet in Britain on March 20 to discuss deploying European peacekeepers in Ukraine.