Idea of deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine discussed by 5-8 states, but there is no specifics
Europe is divided on deploying troops to Ukraine to secure a prospective peace deal with Russia, but it is considering building a coalition of 5-8 governments for this purpose. Source: European Pravda, citing Reuters and sources familiar with the issue Details: One of the topics on the agenda for French President Emmanuel Macron's meeting with Polish officials on Thursday is the idea of sending European troops to Ukraine in exchange for a ceasefire and a peace treaty between Ukraine and Russia.
Advertisement:According to five European diplomats, France and the United Kingdom considered the prospect of sending European troops into Ukraine last month, as did Ukraine, the Baltic nations, and Scandinavia.
There is no consensus among European countries, so the plan is to form a coalition of 5-8 European countries who are not dependent on NATO but rely on a bilateral agreement with Ukraine and are determined to act, according to a person involved with the conversations. There are currently no definite preparations, and diplomats believe Poland is not among nations willing to send troops.
Advertisement:Macron proposed the idea in February, but Germany rejected it. Then, preparations were made to send non-combat soldiers to conduct training, mine clearance operations, and even border control, but they were never implemented.
According to two diplomats, one short-term option is to reconsider the proposal. Regarding the possibility of sending troops, a European senior official stated that there is no plausible scenario in which Europe does not actively participate in the implementation of security guarantees and the securitisation of Europe as a whole. After the war, Europe will still face a threat from Russia, so they will have to bear some of the military weight to ensure Ukraine's security, the official stated.
The finance and foreign ministers of France, Germany, and Poland will also meet on Thursday in Warsaw and Berlin, just a few weeks before Poland takes up the EU chair from Hungary.
Background: Following negotiations with Macron, Tusk stated that Poland is not currently intending to deploy its military forces in Ukraine.
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