(Updated with statements from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Russia on Thursday rejected the idea of NATO countries sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, saying such an initiative would risk provoking an “escalation uncontrollable”.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said later in the day that discussions with its Western allies on the possibility of security guarantees in the form of a contingent of foreign peacekeepers were in their early stages and would not ‘were not focused on a specific number.
This idea was completely unacceptable for Russia, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said at a press briefing.
She thus responded to recent statements by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who raised the possibility of their countries providing troops to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
In an interview with a German newspaper last week, Boris Pistorius said that Berlin, as NATO’s main partner in Europe, “obviously has a role to play” and that the issue would be examined in due course.
The British Prime Minister, for his part, said that the United Kingdom had discussed the idea of a peacekeeping force with other allies and that London would play its role fully.
Russia says it is open to dialogue with US President Donald Trump, who has said he wants to quickly end the war in Ukraine.
-Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky, who said Tuesday he was working on a meeting with his American counterpart to discuss a peace deal with Russia, estimated at least 200,000 peacekeepers would be needed to protect his country. of a new Russian attack following a possible ceasefire agreement.
During an interview with Bloomberg, Volodimir Zelensky nevertheless clarified his remarks, specifying that the number of peacekeepers would depend on the size of the Ukrainian army. Kyiv has categorically refused to limit the size of its army, which currently numbers 800,000 troops, as part of a deal.
“Yes, discussions are underway regarding … foreign military contingents that could potentially be deployed in Ukraine,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tikhy said at a press briefing in Kyiv .
“The discussions are at a very early stage,” he nevertheless continued, adding that it was “too early to talk about exact numbers” and that foreign contingents would only represent part of the security guarantees.
“We believe that lasting and reliable security guarantees for Ukraine must include both Europe and the United States. This is how we will ensure a viable and lasting peace,” he said.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov and Dan Peleschuk; French version by Diana Mandia and Pauline Foret, edited by Kate Entringer)
