**France Stands Firm Against Demilitarization of Ukraine**
France will not accept any demilitarization of the Ukrainian army, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on March 11. This statement comes as Ukraine faces ongoing aggression from Russia.
The idea of demilitarization was one of the excuses used by Moscow to invade Ukraine in February 2022. The Ukrainian army is seen as a vital part of the country‘s security, and France will not compromise on this issue.
**Ukraine’s Security Needs**
The Ukrainian army has over 880,000 troops, making it the largest in Europe. President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukraine needs an even stronger military presence, with a goal of having 1.5 million soldiers if it is not accepted into NATO.
**Public Opinion in Ukraine**
A recent poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 51.2% of Ukrainians believe Western countries are hesitant to provide military aid because they fear Russia will lose the war and stop sending supplies as a result.
Similarly, a significant majority (47.1%) of Ukrainians consider it “completely unacceptable” to agree to territorial concessions and give up on NATO membership in exchange for ending the war. Only 8.2% said they would easily agree to this scenario.
**Talks Between Ukraine and US**
The Ukrainian and American delegations are meeting in Saudi Arabia, discussing a potential ceasefire and other issues related to the conflict. The talks come as Russia has been putting pressure on Washington with demands regarding Ukraine-U.S. negotiations.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is expected to receive information from Washington on the progress of these negotiations.