At the negotiations of the "coalition of the willing" in Paris, where Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina is also present, the deployment of American troops to Ukraine is being discussed, reports "Radio Liberty."
European officials stated that Americans in Ukraine may perform non-combat functions related to monitoring compliance with the ceasefire. This could happen after the end of hostilities.
The summit in Paris today is also discussing the deployment of 15,000 to 20,000 peacekeepers to Ukraine, the majority of whom are to be provided by France and Britain. According to other sources, the number may be closer to 30,000.
Turkey will be responsible for the security of shipping in the Black Sea.
Most surveyed European officials believe that the most likely troop deployment will be in Western Ukraine to support and train Ukrainian military personnel.
Brussels and Kyiv are increasingly optimistic compared to earlier assessments regarding the prospects of receiving "reliable protection" from Washington, although it remains unclear in what form this will take. Europeans expect that Washington will provide "support assistance," such as logistics and intelligence.
One European diplomat noted that the question of how to respond to a potential Russian attack remains unresolved. "Essentially, we are still discussing whether we will return fire or retreat," he said.
It should be noted that Russia, which must agree to (or reject) a peace plan with security guarantees, opposes the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine. Trump previously stated that there would be no American troops in Ukraine. In the initial version of his peace plan, there was a direct prohibition on the deployment of foreign troops on Ukrainian territory. Officially, Washington has not confirmed that it has changed its stance and agrees to the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine.
Leave a comment