France, UK discuss deploying troops to Ukraine for ceasefire monitoring, sources tell RFE/RL

Paris and London are exploring options to support Ukraine in potential peace talks with Russia, including deploying French and U.K. troops to monitor a ceasefire along the contact line, a senior NATO official told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

The official, who requested anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly, noted that these discussions are happening in individual capitals, not within the formal NATO structure.

The aim is to prepare for various scenarios, ensuring European countries are ready to assist Kyiv if the new U.S. administration requests greater European involvement. According to the official, the proposals also seek to secure European allies' participation in peace talks that could be mediated by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

French and British discussions on leading a military coalition in Ukraine have gained momentum, with Le Monde reporting renewed talks about deploying troops. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told BBC News that while France is not currently planning to send troops into combat, the country "does not discard any option."

"(France) will support Ukraine as intensely and as long as necessary. Why? Because it is our security that is at stake. Each time the Russian army progresses by one square kilometer, the threat gets one square kilometer closer to Europe," Barrot said.

The idea of sending Western troops to Ukraine resurfaced in February when French President Emmanuel Macron first raised the possibility. He revisited the topic in May, suggesting that if Russian forces breached Ukraine’s front line and Kyiv requested assistance, France would have to seriously consider deploying troops.

The debate over the role of Western military involvement in Ukraine highlights a broader divide among European leaders on how best to support Kyiv in the face of Russian aggression.

Speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur stressed that Ukraine needs greater investment in its military production capabilities, not foreign troops on its battlefield.

Boris Johnson calls for British, European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of potential peace deal

“I don’t think we should be sending in combat troops to take on the Russians,” former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. “But I think as part of the solution, as part of the end state, you’re going to want to have multinational European peace-keeping forces monitoring the border, helping the…

The Kyiv IndependentVolodymyr Ivanyshyn

Source link

Related posts:

Is NATO ready for war with Russia? Ukraine war latest: US confirms North Korean troops in Russia; Zelensky preparing plan to withstand war Trump's pick for Ukraine envoy backs 'peace through strength,' security guarantees Ukraine war latest: Russian weapons depot storing North Korean shells, missiles set ablaze after drone attack, Kyiv says Ukraine hopes Washington will support Kyiv's NATO bid after elections, as opposition in Europe persists Ukraine war latest: Scholz visits Kyiv for first time since June 2022, pledges $680 million in military support Ukraine war latest: Russia to deploy North Korean troops to combat zone on Oct. 27-28, Kyiv says Ukraine war latest: North Korean soldiers reportedly 50 km from Ukraine's border