Ukraine allies meet to discuss peacekeeping
BRUSSELS
Ukraine’s key allies met on April 10 to continue discussions on a potential peacekeeping mission in the event of a peace agreement with Russia.
The meeting, led by France’s Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu and British Defense
Secretary John Healey, involved defense ministers from the coalition of the willing.
The group includes several European countries, Canada and Australia, but notably excludes the United States.
The talks took place at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
The focus of the discussions is to clarify Ukraine’s expectations for a peacekeeping mission, which Kiev believes is essential to prevent further Russian aggression, especially after its NATO membership aspirations were blocked by the U.S. and other nations.
Around a dozen countries may be willing to contribute troops, Pavlo Palisa, deputy head of Ukraine’s office and chief defense adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, told reporters.
“There is also talk of the participation of the Baltic and Nordic countries. In any case, this can be implemented through bilateral agreements with each member country of the coalition,” Palisa said.
However, some countries, including the U.K., are hesitant to send forces without U.S. support in the form of air support, logistics and intelligence, which is uncertain under Donald Trump.
Russia has strongly opposed any foreign troop deployment without a U.N. mandate, describing it as unacceptable.
As discussions continue, Ukraine is working to align its vision with the capabilities of its allies.
The aim is to ensure that any peacekeeping force is substantial enough to deter a Russian attack, although Kiev is confident that the process is progressing.
Palisa stressed the need for synchronization between military and political decisions before moving forward. Ukraine views its current military as a strong security guarantee but acknowledges the need for allied troops to help maintain peace and deter further Russian actions.
Following the coalition meeting, NATO will host the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a U.S.-led initiative to coordinate military aid for Ukraine. U.K. and German officials will chair the meeting, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joining remotely.
