Maintaining EU external relations with Central and Eastern European countries has been secured through various measures implemented by the Commission.
In the ongoing efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, discussions about security guarantees have been a hot topic. These talks involve the potential meeting of the presidents of Ukraine, Russia, and the United States in Budapest.
According to Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. forces in Europe, the deployment of many thousands of European soldiers on the ground with a clear mandate, strict rules of engagement, and real capabilities that Russia respects is crucial for effective protection of Ukraine. Without such a presence, guarantees remain an empty shell, he asserts.
The White House has confirmed that US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine will receive visits from his colleagues from Germany, Britain, France, Finland, and Italy this week to discuss these security guarantees and their implementation. However, Trump has ruled out the deployment of US troops in a potential peacekeeping force.
Instead, the focus is on a layered approach combining military, diplomatic, and monitoring measures. This includes Ukraine possibly contributing again to the NATO Response Force to improve interoperability without having permanent NATO troops stationed inside Ukraine.
Another proposal is the establishment of a civilian monitoring mission to patrol both sides of any line of occupation if Russian troops remain in parts of Ukraine. This mission would be led by a neutral organization acceptable to both Ukraine and Russia, such as the Organization of Turkic States or the Gulf Cooperation Council. This measure is designed to help stabilize ceasefires and reduce the risk of renewed hostilities.
The European countries, like France and Britain, are expected to take the lead with a "Coalition of the Willing," possibly supported by U.S. air power. The aim is to avoid direct U.S. troops on Ukrainian soil.
The discussions also aim to avoid repeating the weaknesses of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which Ukraine fears was inadequate after Russia's violations in 2014 and 2022.
The US President is discussing the issue of Russian hostility towards peacekeeping troops from NATO countries with Zelenskyy and Putin. Leavitt, a White House spokeswoman, confirmed that Putin has proposed a direct meeting with Zelenskyy, but the venue remains undecided.
The Kremlin's readiness for this meeting is unclear, and there are still many open questions, including what concrete security guarantees for Ukraine might look like. The Secret Service is preparing for this potential meeting, and it is reportedly planned to follow a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.
Russia is generally open to any format of talks, according to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The Hungarian capital was proposed as a venue for a meeting between Trump and Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Putin is said to have proposed Moscow as a venue in his conversation with Trump, but the White House did not comment on this.
Trump stated that he had "very successful" meetings with both Zelenskyy and Putin, but wants to see how the meeting between them goes before deciding his involvement. He also mentioned that the USA could provide support in the air.
In a somewhat unexpected turn, Trump stated that he wants to try to get into heaven if possible, and Leavitt confirmed that the President meant this seriously.
As the discussions continue, it is clear that the international community is working towards practical and enforceable arrangements, including civilian monitoring, European-led military presence without U.S. ground troops, and cooperative mechanisms to avoid renewed aggression. These measures are designed to be more robust than past documents like the Budapest Memorandum. However, many challenges remain, and the path to peace in Ukraine is still uncertain.
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