The Proposed EU Troop Deployment to Ukraine Faces Significant Obstacles
Europe Fails to Muster 25,000 Troops for Ukraine Mission - The Times' Report
Looks like sending 64,000 soldiers to Ukraine post a possible peace agreement with Russia was on the table, but the EU is staring at a scarcity of resources and manpower. A recent meeting among defense ministers revealed that even 25,000 soldiers may be pushing it. With rotation factors in mind, they calculated a whopping 256,000 military personnel would be needed for two years - a number they find far-fetched.
Among the countries expressing apprehensions about the initiative are Estonia and Finland, anxious about their border defenses potentially being weakened, and Germany, which has flat-out opposed it but hasn't ruled out future engagement. On the flip side, Poland, Spain, and Italy have stonewalled any attempts to send troops to Ukraine.
The Grim Reality
European militaries are grappling with severe staffing and budget shortages, making it challenging to assemble even a small force of 25,000 troops for a deterrence or peacekeeping mission in Ukraine[1][2][5]. The idea of forming a "Coalition of the Willing" to possibly deploy troops if a peace deal goes through remains theoretical due to logistical and personnel hurdles.
Contributions Across Europe
The United Kingdom seems open to contributing up to 10,000 troops, but details remain hazy. Instead of large-scale ground troops, the UK and France are eyeing the possibility of sending instructors and training units to western Ukraine[5]. France is following a similar line of thought.
Information on specific contributions from other EU member states is scarce, but it's clear they're facing similar resource constraints[1][2].
Concerns and Rejects
Though no explicit refusals from specific member states have been documented, the overall skepticism and difficulty in assembling forces suggests a hesitance to commit substantial troops[3][5]. Given the hurdles in deploying a large force, there's a growing interest in providing training and support rather than a full-blown troop deployment.
- Despite the proposal to deploy EU troops to Ukraine post-peace agreement with Russia, the scarcity of resources and manpower is causing concerns, with an estimated 256,000 personnel needed for a two-year rotation.
- Fearing potential weaknesses in border defenses and political opposition, countries like Estonia, Finland, and Germany have expressed apprehensions about the initiative, while Poland, Spain, and Italy have outright rejected it.
- Amidst these obstacles, the idea of forming a "Coalition of the Willing" for a potential troop deployment remains theoretical due to logistical and personnel issues.
- Instead of large-scale ground troops, the United Kingdom and France are contemplating sending instructors and training units to western Ukraine, indicating a shift towards providing training and support rather than full-blown troop deployment due to resource constraints.
