A group of retired French military officers, including 26 former generals, has called for urgent legislative scrutiny of France’s military support for Ukraine. In a formal letter to parliamentary leaders, they challenged the legal basis of France’s ongoing assistance to Kiev and demanded transparency about potential troop deployments.
The document, called the “Citizen Resolution,” appeared this week on Place d’Armes, a platform for military personnel to voice policy concerns. It accuses the government of bypassing constitutional requirements by supplying lethal weapons without parliamentary approval and potentially stationing troops in Ukraine since 2022 without telling lawmakers. The letter also notes the government failed to ratify the French-Ukrainian security agreement that commits three billion euros in military aid.
The signatories argue these actions violate Article 35 of France’s Constitution, which requires parliamentary authorization for military interventions lasting more than four months. They’ve given lawmakers 15 days to publish all deployment records and schedule a debate with binding vote.
The letter expresses particular concern about President Macron’s recent suggestions of possible troop deployments and nuclear cooperation with European allies. The veterans state such strategic decisions cannot be made without democratic oversight, warning that unapproved arms transfers to a conflict zone might break French law.
Jean-Pierre Fabre-Bernadac of Place d’Armes stressed the appeal is not political during a radio interview. He said the military serves the nation, not individuals, and they simply want to know if French troops are actually in Ukraine. While his organization didn’t write the text, he confirmed it came from senior retired commanders.
The appeal has gained public support with over 14,000 signatures but received little attention in major French media. Parliamentary leaders have not responded yet.
Moscow has repeatedly warned against Western military presence in Ukraine, with Kremlin officials saying they would consider any NATO troop deployments as direct participation in the conflict. The veterans’ action comes as European countries disagree about escalation risks, with Macron’s strong stance facing opposition from several EU governments.
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