Coalition of the Willing scales back military deployment to Ukraine over Russia fears - The Telegraph
Photo: Representatives of the Coalition of the Willing (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Coalition of the Willing has decided to scale back the military contingent it plans to send to Ukraine after the war. The decision is driven by resource constraints and concerns about provoking Moscow, The Telegraph reports.
Earlier discussions had considered deploying roughly 30,000 European troops. However, a source told The Telegraph that the number has been reduced.
"This figure has been seemingly scaled back because of a lack of resources and a fear it could be seen as 'too muscular' in the eyes of Putin, a source added," The Telegraph notes.
Dozens of countries have expressed interest in joining the deployment. These include the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, and the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.
The most likely scenario involves relocating military instructors to new bases in western Ukraine.
The idea was first proposed in 2024 by French President Emmanuel Macron. A former US official said that then-President Joe Biden rejected the proposal at the time.
This year, the concept resurfaced under pressure from the new US President Donald Trump, who is pushing for a peace plan as a way to create an additional deterrent against a Russian invasion.
The Telegraph reports that preparing personnel in advance will accelerate the process of rearming and restructuring the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to current plans, alongside the French mission in western Ukraine, Britain's Operation Interflex training program is also likely to be relocated.
Security guarantees for Ukraine
On August 18, Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders at the White House. The meeting focused on ending the war and on security guarantees for Ukraine.
These guarantees would include deploying European forces in Ukraine after the war to prevent a potential new Russian invasion.
President Trump has also indicated a willingness to provide guarantees. He has publicly stated, however, that US troops will not be deployed in Ukraine. At the same time, The Telegraph reports that he is discussing with European leaders the possibility of deploying American private military contractors.
Yesterday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined three key blocks of security guarantees for Ukraine. He said they include maintaining the army, cooperating with NATO countries, and imposing sanctions on Russia.
