NATO outlines three conditions for deploying European troops to Ukraine
Chair of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone (Photo: Getty Images)
European leaders are negotiating the deployment of troops in Ukraine. This could be beneficial, but only under specific conditions, Chair of the NATO Military Committee Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone says in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
"First of all, a clear ceasefire that is respected by both sides. Then, a strong mandate, preferably under the aegis of the UN. Finally, a credible force, multinational and possibly not only of European forces, numerically capable of expressing a significant presence along the entire Russian-Ukrainian border," Dragone said.
In his view, the main guarantee of security for Ukraine will remain its Armed Forces, as over the three years of war, thanks to their resilience and the support they've received, they have reached an extraordinarily high level of efficiency and continue to strengthen.
Dragone emphasized that Ukraine will continue to receive crucial assistance from several countries in the form of weapon supplies, training, and interoperability. This will help to rebuild what has been worn out by the war and reorganize its Armed Forces in order to provide all the necessary deterrence against potential new aggression.
"What is needed post-war is for the peace to be durable - this cannot be Minsk 3. Russia must not use a ceasefire to regroup and must never again try to take one square inch of Ukrainian land. That is precisely why NATO Allies have been providing Ukraine with so much support. This matters for Ukraine's security, but it is so much more than that. This is about security across Europe and around the world," added the Chair of the NATO Military Committee.
European troops in Ukraine
The idea of sending a military contingent to Ukraine was discussed during a meeting in Paris on March 27, which involved Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Following the summit of leaders from several countries, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed sending deterrence forces to Ukraine. Macron believes they should be deployed not on the frontlines but in strategic locations.
