French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly leading efforts to deploy a European force of up to 100,000 troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers in the event of ceasefire deal brokered by incoming President Donald Trump.
According to a report from Reuters, President Elect Trump impressed upon Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting on the sidelines of the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral earlier this month that American troops will not play a role in guaranteeing the safety of Ukraine following any peace deal negotiated with Moscow.
This has led to President Macron attempting to convince European partners to commit soldiers to the region whether Ukraine is granted NATO membership or not.
“Even if there were a NATO security guarantee, where would the impetus on the ground come from? It would be European so our army chiefs are already preparing plans for European leaders to consider in the future,” a senior European official is quoted as saying by the news outlet.
Former Austrian military planner and current analyst for the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Franz-Stefan Gady suggested that around 100,000 European troops could be sent to Ukraine, which he noted will “severely stretch European land forces.”
Gady noted, however, that the number of troops could be met if European powers reduce their footprint in other regions, such as in Bosnia and Kosovo.
With NATO membership likely off the table for Ukraine for the foreseeable future, with Moscow listing it as one of its red lines and Western powers such as Germany, Hungary and the United States expressing concerns over admitting a country at conflict over its borders, security guarantees of other means will likely be key to bringing Kyiv to the negotiating table.
Following a meeting with President Macron on Wednesday, President Zelensky wrote on X: “We share a common vision: reliable guarantees are essential for a peace that can truly be achieved.
“We continued working on President Macron’s initiative regarding the presence of forces in Ukraine that could contribute to stabilizing the path to peace.
“Emmanuel informed about his communication with other partners aimed at ensuring all necessary steps are taken for peace. Thank you, France!”
Yet, it is currently unclear if some of the major players would be willing to be involved in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk shooting down the idea after talks with Macron last week.
While German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has signaled that Berlin would likely be involved in peacekeeping process, he has so far refused to commit to any specifics, such as deploying German soldiers to the country.