Deterrence is key issue as army chiefs meet in Paris to discuss Ukraine force

French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, left, Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces Thierry Burkhard and the UK’s Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Tony Radakin, right, during the meeting in Paris on Tuesday (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP)

Top military officials from across Europe and beyond joined talks in Paris on Tuesday on the possible contours of an international security force for Ukraine – an idea that France and the UK are pushing to deter any future Russian aggression on its neighbour if Moscow and Kyiv agree to stop fighting.

Participants said they expected the closed-door discussions to be wide-ranging, providing a gauge of which nations might be ready to join a coalition for Ukraine but not, at this stage, committing them to providing specific numbers of troops, equipment or other assistance.