Why I'm fighting in Ukraine — a Frenchman explains

On Wednesday (2 March), following president Volodymyr Zelensky's call, I enlisted as a foreign volunteer in the Ukrainian army.

I travelled from Brussels to the recruitment centre of a city in the western part of the country. My family and my friends have had little warning or explanation of my actions.

Each time I had to discuss or explain, I minimised the situation or I told white lies about my real intentions.

In a way, I was also minimising the situation to myself, as un...