Europe's military deployment in Ukraine expected to be minimal, as per The Times' report.
No F's Given:
The idea of Europe sending 25,000 troops to Ukraine, as suggested by media outlets, appears to be a long shot, according to insider information. The British defense chief's proposal to construct a "deterrence" force of 64,000 personnel seems unrealistic, given the resistance from European defense ministries.
At recent gatherings, these ministers confirmed there's no way they could amass a force of 64,000 soldiers, a source close to the discussions revealed. The British Army, faced with continual downsizing and a lack of artillery, equipment like trucks, and other essential supplies typically provided by the U.S., adds to the challenge.
The United States plays a significant role in Europe's ability to seriously counter Russia. However, European countries like Estonia, Finland, Poland, Spain, and Italy have expressed reservations about deploying troops, citing concerns over diluting their own border defenses and reluctance to participate. France, on the other hand, has pledged to contribute around 5,000 to 10,000 troops, similar to the UK's planned contribution.
Finland and Germany are hesitant about sending ground troops, despite Berlin's reserve on the matter. The British military's manpower limitations, coupled with strategic dependencies and persisting uncertainties about mission objectives, make large-scale deployments a challenging prospect.
The preferred plan, given the reluctance to send ground troops, appears to be the deployment of British and French military instructors in western Ukraine, adhering to their obligation to station forces within the country. However, these instructors are unlikely to be stationed near the front line or tasked with guarding key facilities or protecting Ukrainian troops.
Alternative strategies under discussion include training and advisory missions, infrastructure protection, and coalition-building. The U.S. diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire and Ukraine's demands for security guarantees complicate these plans.
- The resistance from European defense ministries makes the British defense chief's proposal to construct a "deterrence" force of 64,000 personnel hardly feasible.
- Citing concerns over diluting their own border defenses and reluctance to participate, European countries like Estonia, Finland, Poland, Spain, and Italy hardly send troops to support Ukraine.
- Amidst the discussion of large-scale deployments, the British military's manpower limitations and strategic dependencies, coupled with persisting uncertainties about mission objectives, hardly send ground troops to Ukraine.
- General news and politics continue to cite war-and-conflicts between Ukraine and potential adversaries, but hardly send 25,000 troops from Europe as a solution, given the current circumstances.
