France seeks US support for post-ceasefire peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine

French Finance Minister Eric Lombard expressed the expectation that the United States would play a crucial role in providing backup to European forces tasked with maintaining peace following a potential ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia.

Lombard emphasized that European nations, including the UK, Germany, and France, are prepared to deploy troops to ensure that any ceasefire is upheld. However, he underscored the necessity of US involvement in guaranteeing the truce's long-term success, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

“If we want a ceasefire to be respected, we need a US backup,” Lombard stated during his interview in Cape Town, where he was attending a meeting of Group of 20 finance chiefs. "I believe the Americans have agreed to do that."

The French minister’s comments come amid growing diplomatic activity surrounding the Ukraine crisis. Earlier this week, Lombard and French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to Washington for high-level talks on Ukraine, trade, and other pressing global issues. The discussions involved US President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“We discussed all the issues, trade, tariffs, non-tariff barriers,” Lombard revealed. "We agreed to continue to talk, which is a step forward." Furthermore, Lombard mentioned that he and Bessent had exchanged cell numbers and planned to meet again in April during the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington.

The French Finance Minister's remarks come as the US and Argentina have opted to skip the current G20 finance gathering after a public dispute between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa over issues related to domestic land laws, equality policies, and the war in Gaza. Despite the absence of these two nations, Lombard's participation reflects France's commitment to multilateralism and European unity at a time when US foreign policy under Trump has been perceived as increasingly isolationist.

As tensions over global governance continue to rise, France remains steadfast in its support for multilateral institutions, particularly amid a broader push by Trump to challenge the world order that the US has traditionally helped shape. This includes the US withdrawal from several major global bodies, including the World Health Organization, the Human Rights Council, and the Paris Climate Agreement.

By Vafa Guliyeva