Macron's Unwanted Intervention

Macron’s remarks were likely nothing more than posturing, but the episode has been useful in forcing NATO governments to say that they have no intention of sending their own forces to Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron shot himself in the foot again:

By lurching forward without building consensus among allies, Mr. Macron may have done more to illustrate Western divisions and the limits of how far NATO allies are willing to go in defense of Ukraine than achieve the “strategic ambiguity” he says is needed to keep President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia guessing.

Macron’s remarks were likely nothing more than posturing, but the episode has been useful in forcing NATO governments to say that they have no intention of sending their own forces to Ukraine. When he said that this option “should not be ruled out,” Macron probably thought he was being clever by leaving the door open to direct intervention without committing to it, but the idea of direct intervention is so unacceptable to most of the alliance that this was bound to create a backlash. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz answered Macron’s suggestion by rejecting the option of putting European and/or NATO troops in Ukraine. Italy, Britain, and the U.S. all said something similar.