UK PM to propose sending 30.000 European soldiers to Ukraine
www.pravda.com.ua
Thu, 20 Feb 2025 01:54:40 +0200
Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, will present Donald Trump with a plan to send 30.000 European troops to Ukraine to maintain a ceasefire. Source The Telegraph, citing sources Details Starmer is expected to explain how European troops will police any ceasefire agreement struck by US President Donald Trump at their meeting next week in Washington, DC.
Western officials familiar with the discussions reported that Starmer will push Trump to maintain American fighter jets and missiles on standby in Eastern Europe in case Russia violates the conditions of any finalised peace agreement.
The AngloFrench strategy for a reassurance force was presented to the most influential European leaders during the emergency summit in Paris at the beginning of the week, when they were trying to respond to the start of Trumps peace talks with the Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The strategy was created amidst the fear that Trump would wash his hands of Ukraine and any kind of ceasefire once any deal is concluded. The article noted that Steamer will argue that it is in the USs best interests to remain involved in preventing Russia from invading for the third time after all the fighting ceases. Under the AngloFrench plan, fewer than 30.000 troops under the command of European nations will be placed in Ukrainian cities, ports, and other critical infrastructure facilities, such as nuclear power plants, that are located far from the current frontline. Instead of stationing a much larger force in a wartorn country, the mission will rely on technical monitoring, including reconnaissance aircraft, surveillance and intelligence, as well as drones and satellites, to provide a complete picture of what is going on, stated a western official. The source added that the operation will be backed up with enough firepower to monitor and shoot those attacks down in order to open Ukraines airspace once again and allow for commercial flights. The Telegraph writes that naval patrol vessels will also be sent to the Black Sea to monitor Russian threats to commercial shipping routes. The news agency reports that the plan proposed by Western diplomats is far from the 200,000person peacekeeping deployment demanded by Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a possible price of negotiating a peace deal.
However, given Germany, Spain, and Italys opposition to deploying the peacekeeping operation, European options for ensuring Ukraines future appear limited.
When leaving the summit in Paris, Starmer said such an operation would require a US backdrop to prevent Russia from striking again. The backdrop could include US fighter jets positioned in Romania and Poland, ready to respond to any future Russian aggression. A much bigger multinational land force could also be based on NATOs eastern borders, which, if necessary, could be transferred to protect European troops in Ukraine. This strategy also keeps to the longterm policy not to put NATO forces directly into confrontation with Russian troops in support of Ukraine. Quote from The Telegraph It is hoped that Mr Trump will sign up to the backstop because it would mean no US troops are deployed to Ukraine postwar.
A European official told The Telegraph that NATO would also have to open discussions over its Article 5 mutual defence clause, which states an attack on one member is an attack on all.
While there is no expectation the clause will cover European troops stationed in Ukraine, some countries will insist that cover remains if Moscow decides to attack their territory because of the deployment.
Background Earlier, Starmer stated that he is ready to deploy UK troops to Ukraine to ensure the implementation of any peace agreements.
The Office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom confirmed on 17 February that Starmer will meet with US President Donald Trump next week when he visits Washington, DC.
The confirmation came as the prime minister downplayed any disagreements between the US and Europe regarding Ukraine and European security after Donald Trump unilaterally began negotiations with Russia and said that Europe needs to take on more responsibility concerning its own security.
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