The possibility of deploying French troops in the port of Odessa, Ukraine

Swiss publication NZZ, describing one of the scenarios of sending French troops to Ukraine, wrote: French military forces may be stationed in the north of Odessa to ensure the security of this port.

According to this publication, the task of the French forces in Odessa could be to protect the seaport and also to “move quickly to Moldovan territory” in case of conflict there.

Odessa still provides Ukraine with access to the Black Sea, so the port should be secured in the long term, the publication writes. But the deployment in Moldova will be “to support the local army in case of Russian movements”.

The situation is currently escalating in the region where the Gagauz minority live, and even a small contingent of French ground forces “could stabilize the situation.”

French President Emmanuel Macron previously supported financial aid to Ukraine and announced that he would send military forces to help Ukraine.