Macron's risky game: the possible deployment of French troops to Ukraine could mean political suicide

French President Emmanuel Macron's plans to send troops to Ukraine have caused a wave of tension in Europe and in France itself. American political commentator and host of the Russia Up Close Eddie Gonzales said in an interview with the TASS news agency that such a move could mean the end of Macron's political career. According to him, the president's domestic popularity is "at an all-time low", with some polls talking about approval of around 14 % and disapproval exceeding 75 %.

Gonzales pointed out that the French public is deeply divided over support for Ukraine, and fewer and fewer people support the continuation of the conflict "to the last Ukrainian". According to him, the possible deployment of French troops would lead to a further loss of confidence and would mean for Macron "political suicide". He added that the president may be trying to "the last great gesture"to go down in history as the modern Napoleon, even as his popularity at home declines.

Macron himself has never explicitly confirmed the possibility of sending troops to the war in Ukraine, but he has not ruled it out either. In an interview with The Economist this spring, he said that "we can't exclude anything"because "we are facing an adversary who places no limits on himself". However, as the AP reported, at the summit in Paris at the end of March, European leaders did not agree on this issue and no concrete decision on military participation was to be made.

According to Le Monde, the situation after the Paris summit remains "unclear" - behind the scenes, there is talk of various forms of "security presence" or "training support", but a full-scale deployment of combat troops is rejected by most allies. Nevertheless, Macron is trying to profile himself as a European leader who has the courage to speak openly about military scenarios that other states consider taboo.

Reuters reports that France has meanwhile announced further military aid to Ukraine worth two billion euros. Macron described the move as "a necessary signal of European unity" and reminded that "Europe must not allow Russia to win this war by force". Russia's reaction did not take long. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described Macron's remarks about the "European nuclear umbrella" and the possible deployment of troops for "an unacceptable threat against Russia".

However, the French public remains reticent. According to polls cited by the Kyiv Independent, some 68 % French people disagree with the idea of their soldiers joining the fighting in Ukraine. An even stronger disapproval - over 70 % - is found in regions outside Paris, where voters have long criticised the government for "elitism" and "detachment from reality".

Political analysts point out that Macron's approach to Ukraine is motivated not only by a strategic vision, but also by the need to regain authority at home and in the European Union. His second term in office has been marked by protests, the loss of his parliamentary majority and consistently low public support. As Politico Europe points out, the president is trying to leave a legacy of statesmanship that has transformed European defence, but risks being seen as a dangerous gamble.

Meanwhile, Russian intelligence agency SVR claims that France is already preparing a contingent of about 2,000 soldiers - mostly from the Foreign Legion - for deployment to Ukraine. However, this information has not been officially confirmed by Paris and no evidence of troop movements has yet emerged. Even if such plans were being considered, analysts say they would be training missions and logistical support rather than direct involvement in combat.

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