Peacekeeping mission in Ukraine: Europeans are not confident in their capabilities without US support - WP

Kyiv • UNN

March 25 2025, 10:46 AM • 23758 views

Concerns are growing in Europe about the ability to sustain a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine without US assistance. Britain is ready to provide troops, but long-term support is in doubt.

Peacekeeping mission in Ukraine: Europeans are not confident in their capabilities without US support - WP

In the European and British security community, there is growing concern about whether the continent's "willing" countries will be able to sustain a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine in the long term if US support is not guaranteed. This is reported by UNN with reference to The Washington Post.

Details

Although Britain supports the deployment of troops to Ukraine, the security community (including European countries) generally has doubts about how realistic it will be to maintain a peacekeeping mission for a long time without US support.

Britain and other countries could probably provide 30,000 troops to Ukraine... but they "will struggle to sustain them in the long term"
- analyzes Ben Barry, Senior Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

British PM asks US to protect future peacekeepers in Ukraine - FT27.02.25, 11:19 • 27226 views

Reference

Officials discussed a force of 10,000 to 30,000 troops. After a meeting of allied military leaders in Ukraine near London on Thursday, Starmer also mentioned potential air and sea support.

What is the level of British public involvement in strengthening the army?

The British Army, like many others around the world, faces serious recruitment and retention challenges. In 2010, it numbered over 100,000 full-time personnel; by 2024, it had fallen to 72,000.

Generation Z is not joining the armed forces in the way my generation did
- Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, 54, once said.

What sociology says

Recent polls show that young Britons are indeed less willing to serve.

Only 11 percent of those aged 18 to 27 say they would fight for Britain if called upon. This is half the number in the same poll 20 years ago.
- the publication says.

37% said they would only fight if they agreed with the cause, 41% said they would not under any circumstances.
- writes WP

At a cafe near a recruitment office, two men were asked if they would feel obligated to serve if British troops were deployed to Ukraine. They argued.

"I'd probably sign up," said Dan Clarkson, 25, a skilled worker eating chicken and chips during his lunch break. But he would want to believe in "the reason behind it."

Difficulties in increasing defense spending

It's terribly difficult. One of the problems that no one likes to discuss when we talk about increasing defense spending is that you can buy a lot of military equipment if you throw money at it, but you can't staff it overnight. It takes time.
- says Jonathan Eyal, International Director of the Royal United Services Institute, a security think tank.

Nevertheless, he noted that actions often generate increased interest.

If the deployment to Ukraine is not too dangerous, it could improve the situation or give a short boost.
- the expert said.

Jonathan Eyal acknowledged that there is "great caution about how the forces will operate, what the mandate will be," and whether they will be able to enjoy American cover or not.