Ukraine war: Poland says presence of NATO troops in Ukraine ‘not unthinkable’
File photo of Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said on Friday (Mar 8) that the presence of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops in war-torn Ukraine was "not unthinkable," adding he appreciated French President Emmanuel Macron's initiative for not ruling out the idea. In a post on X, the foreign ministry said that Sikorski made this observation during a discussion marking the 25th anniversary of Poland’s accession to NATO in the Polish parliament.
Sikorski said he appreciated Macron's initiative “because it is about Putin being afraid, not us being afraid of Putin.” In February, Macron said that the possibility of Western troops being sent to Ukraine could not be ruled out, a comment that broke a taboo among allies and prompted an outcry from other leaders.
According to a report by the news agency Associated Press, French officials later sought to clarify Macron’s remarks and tamp down the backlash, while insisting on the need to send a clear signal to Russia that it cannot win its war in Ukraine.
Russia had warned that if NATO sends combat troops, a direct conflict between the intergovernmental military alliance and Moscow would be inevitable. Russian President Vladimir Putin said such a move would risk a global nuclear war.
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Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was among those European leaders who initially ruled out sending troops to Ukraine after Macron’s remarks. "Poland does not plan to send its troops to the territory of Ukraine," Prime Minister Tusk said.
However, Sikorski was appreciative of Macron's initiative.
Poland is a member of NATO along the alliance’s eastern flank, with Ukraine across its eastern border. The country has been under Russian control in the past, and fears run high that if Russia wins in Ukraine, it could next target other countries in a region that Moscow views as its sphere of interest.
(With inputs from agencies)