Europe will have to make significant efforts to send 25,000 troops to Ukraine to form a deterrence force, as its armies are understaffed and underfunded.

Source: The Times, citing a rare glimpse into deliberations among European defence ministers and military commanders as they shaped plans for a coalition of the willing, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Admiral Tony Radakin, the UK’s Chief of the Defence Staff, reportedly asked his European counterparts if they could mobilise 64,000 troops for deployment to Ukraine in case of a peace agreement.

During an earlier meeting this month, he reportedly stated that the UK was ready to contribute up to 10,000 troops.

However, at subsequent meetings, European defence ministers said there was "no chance" of reaching that number and that even 25,000 troops "would be a push for a joint effort", said a source familiar with the talks in Brussels.

The Times noted that the defence ministers expressed concerns over the UK's proposal to form a 64,000-strong contingent during a coalition of the willing meeting on 10 April. Following this meeting, talks continued in Brussels in a more restricted circle of defence ministers, where the allies voiced their concerns more openly.

Close allies expressed their doubts to UK Defence Secretary John Healey, emphasising that sustaining a force of this size for two years, including rotations, would require 256,000 troops.

Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė is reported to have told her counterparts: "Russia has 800,000 [troops]. Let me tell you this, if we can’t even raise 64,000 that doesn’t look weak – it is weak".

One participant is said to have noted that it would be easier to use special forces for such a task, as this would not require parliamentary approval.

Estonia and Finland have reportedly raised concerns that any troop deployment might weaken their own border defence capabilities, while Poland, Spain, and Italy have firmly stated they will not be sending soldiers, according to the source.

"Without large populous countries committing [troops], it is a dead end," the source added. France has said it will send roughly the same number of troops as the UK, i.e. between 5,000 and 10,000 soldiers.

A second source with knowledge of the UK negotiations revealed that Finland and Germany are largely opposed to deploying ground troops, although Berlin has not completely dismissed the possibility.

"Once you take those off the table, where’s the army going to come from?" the source said. "With others not there, we would be left exposed."

The source further noted that the increasingly diminished British Army is facing shortages in artillery and "enablers" like lorries and other essential equipment, which are typically provided by the United States.

Notably, these discussions occurred before media reports surfaced indicating that the United States had privately proposed offering security guarantees to the coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine.

Background: At a meeting in Czechia on 25 April, representatives of the coalition of the willing reiterated the necessity of securing a ceasefire before any negotiations for a longer-term peace settlement could begin.

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