Macron's comments, made after a European conference, were met with caution from European allies and a stark warning from Russia about the risk of a direct clash with NATO.

Macron, who hosted the summit on the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, called for necessary action to defeat Russia, not excluding troop deployment. The Kremlin responded by stating that NATO's involvement would lead to an inevitable conflict.

While Macron emphasized the strategic ambiguity of France's stance, other European leaders expressed varying opinions. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico noted a lack of unity on the issue; Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected the idea of sending ground forces. Conversely, the UK did not entirely rule out the possibility but specified there were no current plans for significant troop deployment.

A NATO official confirmed the absence of plans for combat forces in Ukraine, stressing ongoing military aid. Italy also noted their support did not involve troop deployment. Russian President Putin was described by Macron as adopting an increasingly severe approach both domestically and in Ukraine.