French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to raise the possibility of deploying European soldiers to Ukraine at the upcoming EU leaders' summit on Dec. 18-19, if a ceasefire deal is eventually reached between Russia and Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported on Dec. 13, citing EU diplomats.
Two EU diplomats told RFE/RL that the issue will likely be raised to ensure the EU's presence in potential peace negotiations, that are expected to begin once U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated in January.
European powers are expected to take center stage in helping Kyiv resist and deter Russian aggression as Trump signaled intent to reduce support and get the U.S. "out" of the war.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Dec. 12, citing undisclosed official sources, that Trump wants European troops to monitor a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump reportedly made the comments during his Dec. 7 meeting with Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, making it clear he wants to see Europe take up the leadership in deterring Russian aggression.
On the other hand, Zelensky reportedly conveyed to Trump during the meeting that "peace needs guarantees because a ceasefire alone isn't enough," Reuters’ reported, citing a source in Zelensky's office.
Macron has spearheaded the idea of sending troops to Ukraine in some capacity since February. On Dec. 12, Macron visited Poland to discuss with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk the possibility of sending soldiers to Ukraine after a potential ceasefire deal.
Following the meeting Tusk dismissed speculation on peacekeepers by signalling that the country is "not currently planning such actions."
Recent reports suggest that the U.K. and France are considering deploying peacekeepers to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has also not ruled out the possibility.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded on Dec. 9 to Macron's suggestion of deploying foreign peacekeepers, saying Ukraine "may consider" the proposal but only after securing a clear timeline for NATO membership.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office, said on Dec. 12 that Ukraine is currently not prepared to enter negotiations with Russia as it lacks sufficient Western support to engage from a position of strength.
Zelensky is expected to attend the EU summit in Brussels on Dec. 19 to meet with European Union and NATO leaders, an undisclosed source from the president's team told the Kyiv Independent on Dec. 13.
Dmytro Basmat
