French general: Support for Ukraine could go beyond delivery of weapons

The Chief of the Defense Staff of the French Armed Forces, General Thierry Burkhard, has said that Western support for Ukraine could go beyond just the delivery of weapons.

He said this in Paris while receiving his Swedish counterpart General Micael Byden, Ukrinform reports, citing BFMTV.

"The intention of the president [Macron] is to make Vladimir Putin understand that we are aware of what is happening in Ukraine," Burkhard said.

He added that Europeans must be able to take risks to ensure security in Europe in the next decade.

"Putin constructed his maneuver with the idea that the West will never go to Ukraine but will be content to supply weapons. We must show him that he will not be able to use this logic to go through with it," Burkhard said.

"We cannot consider that the war in Ukraine concerns us in the second degree. [It] concerns us because we are involved in its consequences," the general said.

According to him, Kyiv does not require support in terms of troops, but NATO, which Sweden has just joined, must prepare for all eventualities.

"A war is raging in Europe. We cannot let this become normal," Byden said at a joint press conference, adding that Sweden is ready to assume its responsibilities, deterrence and defense.

Photo: defense.gouv.fr