Zelenskyy reveals where Ukraine wants foreign troops deployed
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukraine's allies should deploy their contingents closer to the combat zone in the future, preferably on the front line, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says in an interview with the AFP News Agency.
Read also: First step toward Western presence: Ukraine, France, and Britain sign declaration
"Britain and France officially, when we signed our declaration with all the coalition participants, we understand that these two countries are already ready to provide a brigade, one brigade each. And there are also signals from some other states that are ready to strengthen Ukraine with their presence at the level of a contingent....We would like to see the contingent closer to the front line," Zelenskyy says.
According to him, the Poles have not confirmed their presence, but if Poland offered to be present in Lviv, Ukraine would not need it.
"It would be better if Poland then had the opportunity to provide its logistics for aircraft and air defence. Finally, we would come to the question of when military air targets could be shot down from the territory of one or another neighbouring state if something happened. We are more interested in this. As for the contingent, of course, no one wants to stand on the front line. Of course, Ukrainians would like our partners to stand with us on the front line. I think that is logical," the President of Ukraine adds.
Deployment of allied troops in Ukraine
Talks about the deployment of allied military contingents on the territory of Ukraine have been going on for several years.
European leaders, together with representatives of the United States, are working on a security guarantee agreement that would provide for the possible presence of NATO member countries' troops in Ukraine to ensure the implementation of a future peace agreement.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron said that after the signing of the peace agreement, support forces could be deployed away from the front line, for example, in Kyiv or Odesa.
According to his plans, the support forces will include British, French, and Turkish troops. Their main goal is to train Ukrainian military personnel and ensure security.
