EU in early talks on sending peacekeepers to Ukraine: Mission could involve up to 100,000 troops
Photo: Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron (flickr.com)
European countries are discussing sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. The initiative was taken by French President Emmanuel Macron, and the discussion is at an early stage, reports Reuters.
European leaders insist they are focused on increasing military and economic assistance to Ukraine. And they see no signs that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate.
Still, some European officials are discussing the possibility of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine.
According to Reuters, US President-elect Donald Trump has ruled out the participation of American troops in a peacekeeping mission. Trump said that Europeans should play this role on their own in negotiations. It may indicate that the peacekeeping mission will take place regardless of whether Kyiv receives security assurances through NATO membership, as it hopes, or through bilateral guarantees.
“Even if there were a NATO security guarantee, where would the impetus on the ground come from? It would be European so our army chiefs are already preparing plans for European leaders to consider in the future,” the source told Reuters.
Large European countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom could form the bulk of the force.
How many troops could it be
A peacekeeping mission could be formed by a coalition of five to eight countries. Analysts give different estimates of the size of these forces. After all, much will depend on their specific mission.
Probably, we are talking about the number of about 40,000 soldiers. Under the rotational scheme, which also involves preparing units for deployment and recovery after deployment, the mission could involve about 100,000 troops.
Another Reuters source also said that up to 100,000 troops could be needed. Such a force could be formed if some European countries reduce other missions.
The composition of any international force is also being discussed. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said that the force should operate under the auspices of the United Nations. But other officials say that would give Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, too much influence.
Europe may also have to convince the United States to participate, at least through intelligence and other operational assistance.
European peacekeepers in Ukraine
Discussions about a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine continue. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously proposed the idea of deploying European troops in case the conflict is frozen.
Italian Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Italian military could join the mission only after the cessation of hostilities. They also emphasized providing Ukraine with reliable security guarantees.
Politico reported the details of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's meeting with European leaders on Dec. 18. One of the topics will be a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that his country would likely play a role in securing a future ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine. However, it is not yet clear what the peacekeeping force might look like.
