France's President Emmanuel Macron said a proposed European armed force deployed to Ukraine could "respond" to a Russian attack if Moscow launched one.
The French president commented on Wednesday ahead of a summit to be held in the French capital on Thursday involving countries that have offered Kyiv security guarantees in the event of a peace deal.
It will bring together 31 national leaders to discuss the details of a possible troop deployment to Ukraine if the U.S. can broker a ceasefire with Russia.
Macron said of the coalition of nations that might form the peacekeeping force, "We are not on the frontlines, we don't go to fight, but we are there to guarantee a lasting peace. It's a pacifist approach," the news agency Associated Press reported.
But he added: "Our soldiers, when they are engaged and deployed, are there to react and respond to the decisions of the commander in chief and, if they are in a conflict situation, to respond to it."
Macron also said France intended to provide Ukraine with an additional €2 billion in military aid.
Macron made the announcement during a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Paris. The new military aid package would include anti-tank and surface-to-air missiles and drones, Reuters reported.
Earlier this week, Kyiv and Moscow agreed in separate deals with Washington to temporarily cease hostilities in the Black Sea, though disagreements remain over the details.
Moscow has said the Black Sea truce will only take effect after certain sanctions are lifted, including against Russia's banking sector.
Reuters reported that Macron had accused Russia of reinterpreting the ceasefire agreement. He also said it is too early to lift sanctions, and that Moscow cannot dictate the terms of any lasting peace.
