SpaceWar.com reports: “A ‘very broad consensus’ is emerging among European nations on boosting Ukraine’s long-term security through the Ukrainian armed forces, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Wednesday after a meeting of Europe’s five key defence powers in Paris.

The defence ministers of France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Poland addressed reporters after meeting for talks in Paris.

They acknowledged the challenges posed by the new administration of Donald Trump in the US — which is seeking direct talks with Russia to end the war sparked by the Russian 2022 invasion of Ukraine — while insisting Europe was ready to stand on its own feet.

‘There is obviously a very broad consensus emerging… that the first of the security guarantees for Ukraine is obviously the Ukrainian army itself,’ Lecornu told reporters, ruling out any postwar ‘demilitarisation’ of Ukraine.

‘The word ‘demilitarisation’ is emerging, but it is not the case. On the contrary, the real guarantee of long-term security will be the capabilities that we will be able to give to the Ukrainian army,’ Lecornu, a top ally of President Emmanuel Macron, added.

Lecornu said that ‘at this stage, about fifteen countries have shown an interest in continuing this process,’ referring to proposed options for a ‘security architecture’ with a view to a lasting ceasefire’ in Ukraine…”