Ukraine is "discussing ideas with European leaders" on the potential deployment of European peacekeeping forces to the embattled country, President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters during a press briefing on Dec. 18.
"We support the idea of strengthening Ukraine. The issue (of peacekeepers) lies in the details. We are discussing these details," Zelensky told reporters, according to a Kyiv Independent journalist on the ground.
Zelensky comments come as he continues to hold talks with EU and NATO leaders during a two-day European Summit at the EU Council in Brussels on Dec. 18-19.
Earlier in the day, Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron held a one-on-one meeting to discuss the possibility of sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.
Following their meeting on Dec. 18, Zelensky said that Macron discussed the communications he has had "with other partners to implement all necessary steps to achieve peace."
"I see that some (European leaders) are already showing positive responses to this. It’s a complex process. You understand the risks involved," Zelensky said during his press briefing.
Earlier in the day, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said in an interview with the Kyiv Independent that the country does not exclude the possibility of expanding its physical presence in Ukraine to strengthen the country's defenses.
Macron has spearheaded the idea of sending troops to Ukraine in some capacity since February 2024. With U.S. President-elect Donald Trump set to return to the White House in January, European leaders are preparing to play a greater role in supporting Ukraine's defense needs.
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 Macron in Paris.
Zelensky said on Dec. 9 that Ukraine "may consider" the proposal, but only after securing a clear timeline for NATO membership.
During the press briefing, Zelensky reiterated his stance, adding that the embattled country "needs security guarantees, which we believe NATO membership offers most effectively."
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Dec. 3 that Ukraine will refuse any kind of security guarantees substituting NATO membership.
In an interview with Suspilne on Dec. 12, Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office, said Ukraine is not prepared to enter negotiations with Russia as it lacks sufficient Western support to engage from a position of strength.
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