EU negotiating military assurances for Kyiv, excluding American soldiers
Security Guarantees for Ukraine: A Shifting Landscape
In a dramatic turn of events, discussions are underway to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, with the United States, Germany, and other European countries actively involved. These negotiations, however, remain contested, particularly by Russia.
The recent summit in Washington was hailed as a historic event by the German government, reversing the dynamics of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska last week. US President Trump is pushing for a bilateral meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, followed by a trilateral meeting with his participation.
These talks, expected to take place in the coming days, may lead to a multilayered security framework for Ukraine. This framework could potentially include a strong Ukrainian armed force, European-led ground troops, and significant U.S. support through intelligence, air defense, and logistics assets. However, Russia firmly rejects any guarantees involving NATO troops on Ukrainian soil.
The European Union is expressing optimism about the growing momentum regarding security guarantees for Ukraine. After a video conference of EU heads of state and government to review the Ukraine summit, EU Council President António Costa expressed his optimism.
The discussions will also focus on advancing preparations for the deployment of peacekeeping troops in case of a ceasefire. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) stated that the Zelenskyy-Putin meeting is planned within the next two weeks.
The U.S. is reportedly willing to support a European-led deployment with strategic enablers rather than large ground troop commitments. While President Trump publicly stated no American troops would be deployed in Ukraine, senior U.S. officials have indicated readiness to provide critical enabling capabilities to back European forces.
European countries, including Germany, are expected to provide the bulk of ground troops. However, they demand U.S. backing for effective operations and protection of their forces. British Prime Minister Starmer announced that representatives of the Coalition of the Willing will meet with their US counterparts to solidify security guarantees for Kyiv.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned against rushing into a peace treaty without assurances, stating, "This peace must not be rushed and must be secured by solid guarantees, otherwise we will be back at square one." Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Europe as a whole should participate in providing security guarantees for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy described security guarantees for his country as a top priority for peace with Russia. Despite disagreements over the need for an immediate ceasefire as a precondition for peace talks, these negotiations represent a significant step towards ensuring Ukraine's security and stability.
Read also:
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
