Kremlin 'concerned' by Starmer's reported peacekeeper plan for Ukraine
Moscow is worried about recent discussions by NATO countries about a potential deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, the pro-Kremlin news agency Interfax reported on Feb. 20.
Peskov made the statement in reaction to a recent Telegraph story saying that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to propose to U.S. President Donald Trump the deployment of up to 30,000 European troops to monitor a potential ceasefire deal in Ukraine.
"We are, of course, following all these reports most closely... This is a cause for concern because the discussion is about sending NATO military contingents to Ukraine," Peskov said at a press briefing.
The Kremlin spokesperson reiterated earlier statements by the Russian Foreign Ministry that a deployment of NATO troops on Ukrainian soil would be "unacceptable" for Russia.
The peacekeeper deployment has been discussed as a possible security guarantee for Ukraine in case of a ceasefire. Washington has supported the idea, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying that the ceasefire should be "backed by capable European and non-European troops"— with the exclusion of U.S. soldiers.
While France, the U.K., and several other countries voiced support for the idea, European countries have yet to reach a consensus on the issue.
According to Starmer's plan, European troops would be deployed in Ukrainian cities, ports, and other critical infrastructure such as nuclear power plants "far away from the current front lines," the Telegraph wrote.
Starmer reportedly also plans to urge Trump to keep U.S. fighter jets and missiles in NATO countries in Eastern Europe ready to respond to any future Russian aggression.
Kateryna Denisova
