French president has faced a barrage of criticism, but said his comments were “weighed, thought through and measured.”

The prospect of sending Western troops to Ukraine was rejected by other NATO members, including the U.S., U.K. and Germany, and sharply criticized by French opposition parties, but not dismissed by Estonia and Lithuania. French officials also downplayed Macron’s comments, pointing to activities such as demining and arms production which might involved a Western presence in Ukraine.