Europe seeks US troops participation in Ukraine peacekeeping mission - Bloomberg

According to anonymous sources, allies broadly agree with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the US would need to contribute troops to any future peacekeeping forces in the country.

European allies of Kyiv stated that the US might support this idea despite Trump’s initial reluctance. However, they emphasized that it is still too early to discuss in detail what future peacekeeping forces in Ukraine might look like, the sources added.

Europeans are trying to influence the new administration as Trump prepares to engage with Vladimir Putin. The US President has threatened to increase pressure on the Russian economy if Putin does not agree to cease hostilities. However, Putin has shown no signs of readiness to make any significant concessions.

A senior European government official warned that if European allies are forced to send troops on their own, it could undermine trust in security guarantees and cause divisions within NATO, effectively ending transatlantic cooperation within the alliance.

According to Bloomberg, Trump’s skepticism about supporting Ukraine may have softened. His team has shown a willingness to focus on providing security guarantees to Ukraine, which they privately acknowledge as inevitable, said a senior Western diplomat familiar with discussions on the matter.

However, in exchange for these commitments, Trump may expect Europe to shoulder a larger share of the burden for any potential agreement. Europeans understand that the US expects them to provide the bulk of the troops, the same diplomat noted, as Trump views the war in Ukraine as a European issue.

Another senior diplomat stated that Trump’s team has also made it clear that the new US administration does not intend to directly participate in Ukraine’s reconstruction, believing this will be handled by the private sector while noting that discussions are still ongoing.

Zelensky is seeking Trump’s support as part of a diplomatic push to end the war, which is nearing its fourth year. The Ukrainian president told Bloomberg News that any effective peacekeeping forces must include US troops, as Europe’s military support alone would not be enough to deter Putin.

Issue of guarantees

In recent weeks, European allies of Ukraine have adopted a cautious optimism that Trump will not force Kyiv to prematurely begin peace talks with Russia. This week, Trump threatened Moscow with financial sanctions if Putin refuses to cease hostilities in the near future.

US Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg is expected to visit Kyiv in the coming weeks to address Ukraine-Russia issues. Kellogg has stated his desire for a resolution within the administration’s first 100 days after Trump walked back his pledge to mediate a peace deal within 24 hours.

However, given Trump’s approach of shifting policies on the fly, much remains uncertain. This has led European allies to worry about the scale of any future US military commitments to reinforce security guarantees - or whether they will materialize at all.

Several European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have considered sending European troops to support Ukraine once a ceasefire is reached. Europeans are discussing specific proposals to present to the US, a source familiar with the matter revealed.

A senior French official, however, expressed some skepticism. Europeans understand, this person said, that they cannot rely heavily on US involvement and must prepare for Washington to play a role only in limited capacities, without deploying personnel on the ground.

This could complicate matters.

“To avoid a resumption of war, sufficiently robust guarantees are needed,” said the Head of the NATO Representation to Ukraine Patrick Turner. “NATO membership is the benchmark for what an effective guarantee looks like,” he told Bloomberg News in an interview in Kyiv.

Meanwhile, the majority of Ukrainians (60%) believe that Ukraine's accession to NATO can prevent repeated military aggression by Russia. 39% chose the option of restoring the nuclear status.