The peacekeeping force proposal is separate from Macron’s previous idea to send military instructors to Ukraine during the ongoing war.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seemingly referenced such a plan when meeting with Friedrich Merz, Germany’s likely next chancellor.
“I'll tell you frankly, we can think and work on Emmanuel [Macron]'s position,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “Do you remember, he proposed that … troops of this or that country be present in some territories of Ukraine, which would guarantee us security while Ukraine is not in NATO.”
“But we must have a clear understanding before that when Ukraine will be in the EU and when Ukraine will be in NATO," he added.
He also emphasized Ukraine’s need for security guarantees when he met with United States President-elect Donald Trump in Paris over the weekend.
Ukraine’s top ask is to receive a formal invitation to join NATO, but members like the U.S. and Germany are balking at that, concerned about getting drawn into a war with Russia. Without NATO membership, Kyiv worries that any peace agreement would simply allow Russia to catch its breath and then attack again once it has rebuilt its military.