European leaders are exploring their options for continued support of Ukraine ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration and concerns that America might cut off aid, even going so far as considering deploying ground troops to the war-ravaged country.

Le Monde, a French daily newspaper, reports that European leaders are having confidential conversations about the possibility of sending a multinational coalition of conventional armed forces and private contractors to Ukraine.

The idea has been discussed previously and rejected. However, with Trump’s victory in the November 5 election and the possibility that America will cut off aid to Ukraine after he takes office, Western leaders have re-started conversations on the matter.

A British military source told Le Monde, “Discussions are underway between the UK and France on defense cooperation, particularly with a view to creating a hard core of allies in Europe, focused on Ukraine and wider European security.”

French officials have previously declined to rule out sending troops to Ukraine. The French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, told the BBC on November 23 that European nations should “not set and express red lines” regarding their support for Ukraine. When asked about the idea of sending French troops to Ukraine, Mr. Barrot said, “We do not discard any option.”

President Macron has repeatedly raised the prospect of sending ground troops to Ukraine. In an interview with the Economist, Mr. Macron said, “I’m not ruling anything out because we are facing someone who is not ruling anything out.”

“I have a clear strategic objective: Russia cannot win in Ukraine,” he added. “Who can pretend that Russia will stop there? What security will there be for the other neighboring countries, Moldova, Romania, Poland, Lithuania, and the others?”

However, other European nations and NATO members have been quick to clarify that there has been no consensus on sending Western combat troops to Ukraine. Russian officials have said such a move would likely lead to a direct confrontation, which could trigger Article 5 of NATO’s charter, the provision that requires every member of the alliance to respond if one member is attacked. If that clause is triggered and Trump complies, it could lead to American troops becoming directly involved in the conflict. 

Some analysts believe that European nations could send troops to Ukraine without triggering Article 5.

A researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, Elie Tenenbaum, told Le Monde that conventional troops from England and France could be sent to Ukraine, not to fight but to enforce a ceasefire agreement, which he believes would not be covered by Article 5. 

“The aim would be to [use] the ‘tripwire’ model… [forces] tasked with enforcing a ceasefire, but also able to prevent the relaunch of a major Russian offensive,” Mr. Tenenbaum told the newspaper.

That idea seems to be similar to one that has reportedly been floated by members of Trump’s transition team to bring the war to an end.

On November 6, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump officials are still discussing various ideas to fulfill his pledge to end the war. One plan would require Ukraine to promise not to join NATO for at least 20 years, and in response, America would continue to send it arms.

The plan would also have Russia and Ukraine agree to an 800-mile demilitarized zone. One Trump adviser told the Journal that the area would not be policed by American forces. 

“We can do training and other support, but the barrel of the gun is going to be European,” the adviser said. “We are not sending American men and women to uphold peace in Ukraine. And we are not paying for it. Get the Poles, Germans, British, and French to do it.”

Additionally, the prime minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, suggested that France could discuss whether it could send its troops to Ukraine without any NATO backing to distance the alliance from the move.