French President Emmanuel Macron was right to keep Russia guessing about the limits of western support for Kyiv when he floated the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine, Finland’s foreign minister has said.
Elina Valtonen told the Financial Times: “Now’s not the time to send boots on the ground and we are not even willing to discuss it at this stage. But for the long term, of course we shouldn’t be ruling anything out.”
Valtonen’s remarks, echoed by leaders and officials in the Baltic states, underscore how Macron has found favour with Nato’s frontline members after his recent pivot on Russia and his warnings that Moscow’s defeat in Ukraine is paramount to Europe’s security.