European officials are discussing sending 15,000-30,000 troops to Ukraine, with France and Great Britain leading the ground and air components, and Turkey ensuring the security of transport routes in the Black Sea. This decision was made ahead of the summit in Paris, where specific commitments regarding Ukraine's security are expected.
Allies of Ukraine did not disclose military plans before the Paris summit, but some officials say that "a figure of 15,000-20,000 troops is being discussed in various European capitals, although some hope the number will be closer to 30,000," amid reports that "the bulk of the troops will come from France and Great Britain, which will lead the ground and air components, while Turkey has indicated that they will be responsible for the security of transport routes in the Black Sea," RFE/RL reports, writes UNN.
Details
European officials told RFE/RL that after a meeting of national security advisers over the weekend and a meeting of military planners on January 5, there is a "renewed sense of urgency."
They hope that "the meeting in Paris will ensure coordination between the US, Ukraine, and other European countries," the publication writes.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he hopes to present "concrete commitments" on Ukraine's security after the talks. The idea is to clarify the composition and deployment of peacekeeping forces in the event of a ceasefire, the publication writes.
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Some officials say that "a figure of 15,000-20,000 troops is being discussed in various European capitals, although some hope the number will be closer to 30,000 operating under the motto 'safe sea, sky, and land'."
Military plans are not yet disclosed, but "the bulk of the troops will come from France and Great Britain, which will lead the ground and air components, while Turkey has indicated that they will be responsible for the security of transport routes in the Black Sea," the publication writes.
However, the publication writes, "there is still no clarity on how close the potential 'Coalition of the Willing' will be to the point of contact." Most European officials contacted by RFE/RL "believe that a likely deployment will take place in Western Ukraine to support and train Ukrainian troops."
"While the contours of a Western presence in Ukraine are taking shape, a number of issues remain to be resolved, including rules of engagement and US security guarantees," the publication says.
One European diplomat admitted that one of the unresolved issues is how to respond to a potential Russian attack. "We are essentially still discussing whether we will return fire or retreat," he said.
As for security guarantees from the US, both Brussels and Kyiv are increasingly optimistic that "Washington will provide 'robust support,' although it is still unclear what form this will take," the publication writes.
European officials, who wished to remain anonymous, told RFE/RL that "US troops could be present in Ukraine in a non-combat role, observing a ceasefire."
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However, the coalition also hopes that Washington will continue to provide "auxiliary support," such as logistics and intelligence.
Separately, RFE/RL Europe editor Rikard Jozwiak reported on X that:
The draft Paris Declaration refers to a US-led ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism, as well as a European-led multinational force for Ukraine, commitments to Ukraine in the event of future Russian attacks, and defense cooperation. There are no references to NATO or EU membership
At meetings with Europeans, Zelensky will likely insist on the need for security guarantees – both from Europe and in combination with desired robust guarantees from the United States, the publication indicates.
Ukraine's chief negotiator Rustem Umerov recently stated that "most of the positions – 90 percent of the peace plan – have already been agreed upon, work on the details continues."
"These details, which are expected to be discussed in Paris, include the thorny issue of territorial concessions: Ukraine insists on freezing the contact line or turning the entire Donbas into a demilitarized zone," the publication writes.
Another issue, it is noted, is the ownership of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: Kyiv rejects the idea of joint management by Ukraine and Russia, preferring that the United States intervene and sell energy resources to Moscow.
"However, few in Brussels believe that Russia will agree on any of these issues, as the Kremlin still believes it is winning on the battlefield," the publication says.
It is also indicated that the EU is separately preparing a new round of sanctions, the 20th since the full-scale invasion almost four years ago, "which is likely to be presented to member states for approval in late January."
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