Macron says 26 countries pledge to deploy troops to Ukraine after fighting ends

The French president had said that any European ‘reassurance force’ in Ukraine needed the backing of the United States (Ludovic Marin/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that 26 of Ukraine’s allies have pledged to deploy troops as a “reassurance force” for the war-torn country once fighting ends in the conflict with Russia.

Speaking after a meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing” in Paris, Mr Macron said the countries had committed to deploying troops in Ukraine — or to maintaining a presence on land, at sea, or in the air — to help guarantee the country’s security the day after a ceasefire or peace is achieved.