KYIV, UKRAINE, March 28 – Ukraine has not asked its Western partners or NATO countries to send military personnel to fight against the Russian army. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, said this answering questions from Radio Liberty journalists.

“Ukraine is not asking for military personnel. Ukraine is asking for weapons for the military. There is a need to get certain amounts of weapons today. So let’s reassure you [the West – ed.] a little bit, you will provide more weapons so that there is no need to use national contingents to support Ukraine’s defense war,” said Mykhailo Podolyak.

He also said that Ukraine welcomed the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced the possibility of sending French troops to Ukraine.

“It’s very positive that Mr. Macron has raised this issue, because then it clearly shows the European voter or European citizen that the risks are so great that there is even talk of the need for assistance by providing national contingents. Through some direct participation of military personnel from different countries in, for example, training programs on the territory of Ukraine, or engineering programs, or even direct participation in the war itself,” said the advisor to the head of the Presidential Office.

French President Emmanuel Macron has repeated his opinion several times that the deployment of Western troops to Ukraine cannot be ruled out.

Macron has repeatedly clarified his words, in particular, by arguing that there should be no so-called “red lines” in supporting Ukraine and that there should be room for manoeuvre. At the same time, Macron noted that there is no question of sending troops to Ukraine. If any contingent is sent in the future, it will not participate in offensive operations against Russian troops.

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