Expert estimates possible number of foreign troops in Ukraine
Photo: UN peacekeepers (GettyImages)
European countries may deploy up to 30,000 troops as part of a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. However, experts note that more troops are needed for effective coercion of Russia into peace, Rafael Loss, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, says in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
On February 17, The Washington Post reported that European countries might send up to 30,000 military personnel as part of a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine.
This information was disclosed in response to a US request, where European countries outlined their capabilities to support Kyiv. However, due to the need to maintain forces in other threatened areas, the size of the contingent remains limited.
According to military expert Rafael Loss, if European countries decide to deploy a peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine, it will likely consist of three to five multinational brigades with necessary support assets and air cover.
A larger force could significantly weaken NATO's eastern flank, which, given the waning trust in the US regarding European security, would pose an even greater risk.
Oleksandr Sayenko, the commander of the 67th Brigade of Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2022-2023 and now a military analyst at the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) believes that the contingent should be powerful enough to force Russia into peace by strength, but 30,000 troops are clearly insufficient for this.
Moreover, deploying such forces along the front line could provide Russia with additional pretexts for provocations and manipulations, potentially complicating the situation on the battlefield.
Peacekeeping mission discussions
In recent weeks, European countries and the US have been discussing the possibility of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine as part of security guarantees.
Volodymyr Fesenko, Chairman of the Board of the Center for Applied Political Studies "PENTA," told RBC-Ukraine that Russia might reject such a format if European military personnel are included in the peacekeeping forces.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that European countries should take the lead on this issue and deploy their peacekeepers to Ukraine. However, Trump himself does not plan to involve American troops in the process.
