Not for Russia to decide on peacekeepers in Ukraine, Macron says

PARIS (Reuters) -The stationing of peacekeeping troops successful Ukraine, arsenic projected by Britain and France arsenic portion of a ceasefire statement with Russia, is simply a question for Kyiv to determine and not Moscow, French President Emmanuel Macron said successful an interview.

Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer person been rushing to consolidate subject enactment for Ukraine arsenic U.S. Preident Donald Trump presses for a bid woody with Russia. Starmer hosted a virtual gathering connected Saturday with Macron and different non-U.S. allies of Ukraine.

"Ukraine is sovereign. If it asks for allied forces to beryllium connected its territory, it's not thing for Russia to judge oregon not," Macron said successful a associated interrogation with respective French determination newspapers published precocious connected Saturday.

Russia has repeatedly rejected the thought of soldiers from countries belonging to the NATO confederation being stationed successful Ukraine.

Macron said immoderate peacekeeping unit would dwell of "a fewer 1000 troops per country" to beryllium deployed astatine cardinal locations, adding a fig of European and non-European countries were funny successful participating.

But similar different aspects of a imaginable truce, the signifier of immoderate peacekeeping unit remains uncertain.

Finland's President Alexander Stubb told BBC tv that immoderate steadfast commitments would travel erstwhile determination was a wide plan.

"There are anyplace from zero to 50 antithetic ways they tin help, boots connected the crushed is lone 1 way. You tin speech astir intelligence, you tin speech astir antithetic types of things but it's excessively aboriginal to perpetrate close now," helium said.

Britain and France some accidental they could nonstop peacekeepers to Ukraine, portion Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his state was besides unfastened to requests.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said connected Thursday helium supported successful rule Washington's connection for a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine but that his forces would combat connected until respective important conditions were worked out.

Russia and Ukraine continued aerial attacks connected each other, inflicting injuries and damages, officials said aboriginal connected Sunday.

(Reporting by Gus Trompiz and Tangi Salaun; further reporting by Elizabeth Piper successful London, Editing by Louise Heavens)