UK, France forge ahead with plan for deployment in Ukraine
London and Paris are still committed to putting together a European military force designed to prevent future attacks on Ukrainian cities, ports, and critical infrastructure in the event of a U.S.-brokered peace deal with Russia, The Guardian reported on Feb. 19.
Western officials say the proposal will involve fewer than 30,000 troops, focusing primarily on air and naval defense. Ground forces will be minimal and not deployed near the front line in eastern Ukraine. The goals of these forces include ensuring the safe reopening of Ukrainian airspace for commercial flights and maintaining the security of maritime trade routes through the Black Sea, crucial for the country's economy.
At the same time, a proposal to have a broad coalition of European nations deploying a sizeable peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine was shot down by a handful of EU member states during a recent European security summit in Paris.
On Feb. 11, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the United States will not send troops to Ukraine, while President Donald Trump said he does not oppose European military involvement in future post-war security guarantees for Kyiv.
On Feb. 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 100,000 peacekeepers are essential for deterring further aggression from Russia.
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