This proposal is one of several that European military and civilian officials are considering for a postwar or ceasefire scenario in Ukraine.
However, it is unclear whether Kyiv would accept the plan, as it would likely require territorial concessions. The U.S. does not seem to be involved in the buffer zone discussions.
A partition would be fraught with historical significance. European diplomats have avoided likening it to the heavily guarded divide between North and South Korea, who are technically still at war. Instead, they compare it to the division of Germany during the Cold War.
Recently, the Kremlin claimed that Russian forces are working to establish buffer zones along the Russian border with Ukraine, which would create more distance between Moscow and Ukrainian artillery and drones. But no details have emerged to suggest what those proposals would entail.
The number of soldiers needed to patrol the border remains a concern. European officials are discussing deploying between 4,000 and 60,000 troops to patrol near the demilitarized zone and train Ukrainian troops. French and British forces will likely comprise the core of the foreign peacekeeping force.
Allies are holding off on making public troop commitments while waiting for key details. They have questions about the rules of engagement for NATO troops on the frontline, how to manage a Russian escalation, and whether third countries would be needed to patrol the area if the Kremlin objects to alliance troops within a buffer zone.
“Everyone is trying to move as quickly as possible on security guarantees so Trump doesn’t change his mind,” about pushing Putin to a negotiated settlement, said one of the European officials.
“Everyone is waiting for the DOD’s policy leaders to clarify how far they are willing to commit and they are letting the Europeans show their cards. So it’s a bit of a dance.”