Ukraine seeks foreign troop presence in air and sea, not just on land - MFA
Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine wants foreign contingents to be deployed not only on land but also in the air and at sea to ensure comprehensive security, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi at a briefing.
He stated that discussions on the foreign contingent are ongoing and remain general in nature.
"In closed meetings, certain numbers are being mentioned. But these are just possible figures, as many unknowns remain regarding who should be deployed and where. We believe that it is very important to expand this discussion not only to the land but also to the sky and the sea," Tykhyi said.
He emphasized that if partners are willing to send their military contingents to ensure peace and security in Ukraine, their presence in the air and at sea should also be considered.
"This means their aircraft, their naval assets. This war has shown that it is unfolding in all planes, especially in the air, as we saw it at night. That is why we are continuing this discussion with our partners, and we know that a number of countries, not just in Europe, are expressing hypothetical readiness to send contingents to Ukraine," he said.
Tykhyi added that a broad consensus among various countries, particularly in Europe and the US, is necessary for such a decision. Ukraine is working to build this consensus.
"Again, I urge attention to the air and sea components. While ground troop presence can be a deterrent, security in the air and at sea is equally, if not more, important. Several countries in Europe, North America, and even beyond are hypothetically willing to participate in such contingents to ensure peace and security," he stressed.
Tykhyi also noted France’s leadership on the issue and thanked President Emmanuel Macron for his determination.
Coalition of the willing
France was the first to propose deploying a peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine to ensure security. The UK has also actively joined discussions on the matter.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that the US should also participate in the peacekeeping mission. However, Donald Trump’s administration ruled out such a possibility.
Recently, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the formation of a "coalition of the willing," aimed at bringing together countries ready to send troops to Ukraine for peacekeeping purposes.
According to Sky News, British officials have held talks with representatives from about 20 countries interested in joining the initiative. Also, according to the media, Türkiye is open to discussing the deployment of its troops to Ukraine.
