French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated that France will firmly oppose any move to demilitarize Ukraine, emphasizing that the Ukrainian military continues to be the primary safeguard for the nation's security. He made these remarks during the opening of the Defense and Strategy Forum in Paris, where President Emmanuel Macron is also scheduled to speak.

Lecornu's comments came ahead of a planned meeting of European military chiefs, which will take place alongside the forum. The meeting, expected to include Macron, will focus on European participation in a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia has maintained a strong stance against the presence of NATO forces on Ukrainian soil in any form. President Vladimir Putin has long called for the "demilitarization" of Ukraine, a demand that remains unacceptable to Kyiv.