European leaders are trying to clearly define their plans to support Ukraine with multinational military forces if the country manages to conclude a peace agreement with Russia, Politico reports, writes UNN.
Details
With a flurry of diplomatic efforts for a deal, Ukraine's allies gathered on Tuesday for a virtual meeting of the "coalition of the willing" - and, as the publication writes, "seem to have secured at least some support from the United States."
The meeting was intended to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine in advancing delicate peace talks with the US - and to fulfill the promises of the 33-member "coalition of the willing" to back up words with deeds, the publication writes.
On Tuesday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the creation of a new joint working group - led by France and Great Britain with the participation of the US and Turkey. It aims to clarify the exact details of the military support that Europe will provide under a peace agreement, the publication writes.
In the coming days, we will be able to very precisely define the contributions of each country and present final security guarantees
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told conference call participants, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that "multinational forces" would play a "vital role" in guaranteeing the country's security.
One Elysée Palace official argued that the new working group would provide "new coherence" to transatlantic talks on security guarantees, while one British official said Rubio's participation in the conference call was a positive sign of US support, long one of the most contentious elements of any plan. A second British official said British military planners were "very advanced."
Nevertheless, analysts urged caution.
Ed Arnold of the Royal United Services think tank in London warned that if US security guarantees were not firmly entrenched, the coalition would "find itself in a really dangerous position, because you're deploying forces with support that you know deep down is not reliable."
The coalition, a loose alliance of countries including France, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, Canada, and Turkey, emerged earlier this year amid deep European concerns about America's continued support for Ukraine.
Its members have pledged varying degrees of support, including, in the case of France and Great Britain, a commitment to deploy national troops on the ground to monitor compliance with the agreement and deter further Russian aggression.
The coalition has already spoken of "assurance forces" providing air and naval support to Ukraine, as well as focusing on rebuilding the country's armed forces. A Starmer spokesman told reporters on Tuesday that the UK was "still prepared to put troops on the ground" to secure peace.
Macron, emphasizing that these forces would be "far from the front line," spoke of a presence "in reserve positions in Kyiv or Odesa."
"We will have assurance air forces that will not be based in Ukraine, but perhaps in neighboring countries... they will manage operations related to the Ukrainian Air Force to ensure the security of its airspace," he told French radio.
Macron stated that Trump's peace plan needs improvement25.11.25, 12:22 • [views_2933]
Addressing a wary domestic audience, Macron added: "We must not sow panic among the French, because there are many people... who want to scare us and who say that we will immediately send troops, this is not true."
Germany has been somewhat more cautious about its involvement. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul this week pointed to the existing German brigade in Lithuania, saying that "we are more involved in the entire region than almost any other NATO member," and that this is "enough."
"Serious questions also remain about how the US actually sees its role and where European forces could make a tangible contribution," the publication writes. Russia, it is noted, has openly criticized the European-backed peace plan.