During a meeting of 25 European leaders in Paris on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the possibility of NATO sending troops into Ukraine, sparking rebuke from Russia and pushback from other NATO countries.

The Details: Macron mentioned the option of NATO sending troops into Ukraine while rallying for continued support for Ukraine as it enters year three of its war with Russia. Macron stated that NATO “will do everything needed so Russia cannot win the war.” He added, “There’s no consensus today to send in an official manner troops on the ground. But in terms of options, nothing can be ruled out.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded by warning of “inevitable” conflict if NATO troops were deployed in Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and leaders from several NATO countries, including Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom, quickly dismissed the idea.

How the Media Covered It: An analysis from Reuters (Center bias) determined that Macron’s statement fit with his “reputation as a diplomatic disruptor who likes to break taboos and challenge conventional thinking” but that he runs the risk of “undermining the very thing Macron sought to bolster with the Paris meeting – unity among Ukraine’s Western allies.” Al Jazeera (Lean Left bias) focused on Stoltenberg's statement denying any plans for NATO to send combat troops into Ukraine. The Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) focused on European leaders dismissing the idea of sending NATO or their own forces into Ukraine following Macron's statement. This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.