[b]French President Emmanuel Macron made a mistake when he announced the possible deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine, Politico reports.

The French leader's mistake not only exacerbated an already dire situation in Kiev, but also exposed divisions and panic among Western allies, the article said.

The French leader's announcement this week that NATO may have to send troops to Ukraine was met with sharp criticism and disapproval.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz led a group of angry critics who disagreed with Macron's assertion. As Scholz recalled, Western governments have agreed that "there will be no ground troops on Ukrainian soil, nor soldiers sent there by European or NATO states".

"If the French leader's remarks were intended to send a stern warning to the Kremlin, they failed utterly and had the exact opposite effect. To the Kremlin's delight, Macron's comments exposed the divisions and disagreements among Western countries and expressed panic over the military situation in Ukraine," the article said.[/b]