European officials have discussed a plan that would see British and French personnel lead a multinational force in Ukraine once a peace agreement with Russia is reached, according to people familiar with the talks. Roughly ten European nations are considering contributions that could total as many as 50,000 troops. The initial phase of the mission would focus on training Ukrainian soldiers, but the deployment would also serve as a deterrent presence under prospective security guarantees for Kyiv. The idea, floated during meetings in Brussels on Tuesday, highlights divisions within NATO over placing troops in Ukraine without a formal alliance mandate. Moscow has repeatedly warned that any deployment of NATO forces on Ukrainian territory would risk further escalation.
Bloomberg reports that around 10 European countries are ready to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine as part of their security guarantees in a peace deal. Around 50 000 troops could be sent https://t.co/Zd6E9NvIBM
⚡️ Bloomberg: European officials on Tuesday discussed a plan to send British and French troops to Ukraine as part of a peace agreement, including the size and position of military personnel. About 10 countries would be ready to send forces to Ukraine, according to people https://t.co/yePMEaxpaX
About 10 European countries are ready to send "deterrent forces" to Ukraine. Source: Bloomberg