Number of peacekeepers in Ukraine depends on US stance - Zelenskyy
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The dialogue on European peacekeepers in Ukraine is ongoing, and there are different positions regarding their deployment. However, if the United States is involved in this process, the number of countries and the size of the contingent may increase, according to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement during a Zoom briefing for journalists.
The head of state was asked who, besides the UK and France, might join the initiative, what number of troops is being discussed, what their function will be, and what laws Ukraine will need to adopt to implement this.
In response to the question, Zelenskyy noted that at this stage, he could not comment on legislative initiatives because "they have not gotten to it yet."
Commenting on the number of troops, the president said that the number could vary, as there are different views on this matter, and it depends on many factors.
"First of all, there are countries ready to provide a contingent, countries that are ready to provide a contingent in case of a second wave of aggression. There are countries ready to deploy the contingent in Ukraine and some that are ready to position them at the border. Some are ready to deploy in dangerous areas, while others are ready only at sea, or in large central cities of Ukraine," Zelenskyy informed.
In this regard, as Zelenskyy noted, it is necessary to work out a general vision. Specifically, countries with specific numbers of troops will need to be identified on the map, in the places they are ready to deploy.
After that, Ukraine will work on finding places with these countries, not only where they are ready to be stationed, but also where it is needed. According to Zelenskyy, this will be a plus, not a disadvantage.
The president also announced that next week he will visit France, where meetings will be held with representatives from various countries regarding the peacekeeping contingent. Moreover, the number of countries and troops directly depends on what the United States is willing to do in this process.
"So, we are currently in this direction. It is still quite generalized. And all of this also depends on what the United States and President Trump will be willing to do in this framework. This is important. It also impacts the number of countries that will be present with us, and it greatly affects, I will tell you honestly. And not only the number of countries but also the size of the contingent from each country. With the United States involved in one form or another, there could be more countries," Zelenskyy concluded.
