Europe Debates Sending Troops To Ukraine
The French-led effort to ramp up ongoing discussions about committing boots on the ground was spurred by the Trump administration last week cutting Europe out of the negotiations, which are set to begin tomorrow in Saudi Arabia between Washington and Moscow. While not giving European nations a seat at the table, Trump has suggested they could play a peacekeeping role there.
PM @Keir_Starmer joins
President @EmmanuelMacron in #Paris for an informal meeting on #Ukraine & European security. pic.twitter.com/qFr3NzwuUt
— French Embassy UK
(@FranceintheUK) February 17, 2025
The Washington Post on Monday reported that European nations could contribute upwards of 30,000 troops 'who would not be stationed along the contact line but would stand ready as a show of force if Russian forces tried to restart the war,' the publication reported, citing four officials with knowledge of the plans. 'The troops could be backstopped by more forces outside Ukraine in case they need to ramp up and move quickly.'
There is ongoing discussion between those nations and the Trump administration on what assets the U.S. would be willing to provide to back up any international force and what Europeans are willing to commit. While decrying Trump's move to leave them out of the negotiations, the European leaders say much of their planning is contingent on U.S. support. To date, the U.S. has ruled out providing troops, though Trump's peace envoy Keith Kellogg on Monday suggested that 'the policy has always been that you take no options off the table,' Reuters reported. So far there have been few solid promises from European nations for that effort.
European leaders planned to meet Monday on how they might influence talks that could determine the future of Ukraine and of Europe's security landscape. https://t.co/5UpqTJkON2
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 17, 2025
France 'has done more advanced military planning than others and estimates that it could commit nearly 10,000 troops,' the Post posited. On Sunday, U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer broached the possibility of contributing troops to any peacekeeping force in an opinion piece for The Telegraph.
In addition to guaranteeing Ukraine 3 billion pounds per year (about $3.79 billion) in military aid through at least 2030, Starmer wrote that supporting Kyiv 'means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary.'
'I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm's way. But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine's security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country,' he explained without offering any specifics.
UK PM Sir Keir Starmer says UK "ready and willing" to put troops on the ground in Ukraine to help guarantee its security as part of a peace deal https://t.co/RWWHPgjU2t
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) February 16, 2025
Sweden and the Netherlands were more vague about offering to send forces. Sweden said that it would not rule out sending troops to Ukraine if necessary, while the Netherlands is 'not negative' about a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
Germany, Poland and Spain each dismissed the possibility of sending troops, at least in the near term.
'Unfortunately we are still a long way off' from such a decision, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, adding that 'it's quite clear that a very strong Ukrainian army, even in peacetime, must be at the core' of any solution.
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk offered a similar stance.
Warsaw 'does not foresee sending Polish soldiers to Ukraine,' he told reporters before boarding a flight to Paris.
'Nobody is currently considering sending troops to Ukraine,' said José Manuel Albares, Spain's foreign minister, according to Financial Times. 'Peace is still very far away and for one reason only: Vladimir Putin.' Albares added that any discussion of troop deployments or peacekeepers would 'have to consider for what mission, who will comprise it, under what flag, with what mandate.'
Europe Divided Over Sending Troops to UkraineAt a Paris meeting, European leaders debated deploying troops to Ukraine amid Trump's peace talks with Russia.
France: Macron proposed a 'reassurance force' behind a future ceasefire line, avoiding direct frontline engagement.… pic.twitter.com/TVVnOQrvd6
— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 17, 2025
For his part, Zelensky said foreign boots on Ukrainian soil are not the only option to back up a future peace deal.
'I believe that this is the first platform for the future creation of such a force — the Armed Forces of Europe, such an army that will be able to respond in the sky, on water, on land, with drones in artificial intelligence, as well as in the event of a Russian offensive,' he said, adding that a foreign military presence does not necessarily mean troops stationed on Ukrainian soil but could include air defense systems and weapons to enhance security.
All this depends on a peace deal, which is far from guaranteed. While the exact terms have yet to be announced, Trump administration officials painted some broad outlines last week. As we previously reported, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth cast doubt on Ukraine's ability to reclaim the land lost since Russia first invaded in 2014. He also said membership in NATO was unlikely. Trump later concurred with both of those stances.
In addition, Hegseth made it clear that while the Trump administration wants European and non-European troops to provide a security guarantee, those troops 'should be deployed as part of a non-NATO mission, and they should not be covered under Article Five [NATO charter of mutual aid]. There also must be robust international oversight of the line of contact to be clear as part of any security guarantee.'
You can see Hegseth's comments in the following video.
New US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Ukraine becoming a NATO member or regaining all its pre-2014 territory is not realistic.Speaking at a meeting of the military alliance in Brussels, Hegseth said Washington would not deploy troops to Ukraine under any peace deal. pic.twitter.com/bI7c2ZON66
— DW Europe (@dw_europe) February 12, 2025
Zelensky, adamant that his country won't agree to any deal that does not directly involve Ukraine, has complained that he was not invited to Saudi Arabia even though Trump promised he would be part of any negotiations. Zelensky has also been reluctant to give up all of the roughly 20% of his nation in Russian hands. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that not only will Russia not accept any deal that cedes territory it has gained, but Moscow wants the entirety of four regions it illegally annexed.
All this is posturing ahead of the negotiations. While so many pieces have to fall into place for a peace deal to be realized, this is the closest there has been to an end to the bloodshed, at least temporarily, since Russia launched its full-on invasion nearly three years ago.
Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
NATO to coordinate regular and large-scale arm deliveries to Ukraine. Most will be bought in the US
BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO has started coordinating regular deliveries of large weapons packages to Ukraine after the Netherlands said it would provide air defense equipment, ammunition and other military aid worth 500 million euros ($578 million). Sweden also announced Tuesday it would contribute $275 million to a joint effort along with its Nordic neighbors Denmark and Norway to provide $500 million worth of air defenses, anti-tank weapons, ammunition and spare parts. Two deliveries of equipment, most of it bought in the United States, are expected this month, although the Nordic package is expected to arrive in September. The equipment is supplied based on Ukraine's priority needs on the battlefield. NATO allies then locate the weapons and ammunition and send them on. 'Packages will be prepared rapidly and issued on a regular basis,' NATO said Monday. Air defense systems are in greatest need. The United Nations has said that Russia's relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line has killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians. Russia's bigger army is also making slow but costly progress along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Currently, it is waging an operation to take the eastern city of Pokrovsk, a logistical hub whose fall could allow it to drive deeper into Ukraine. European allies and Canada are buying most of the equipment they plan to send from the United States, which has greater stocks of ready military materiel, as well as more effective weapons. The Trump administration is not giving any arms to Ukraine. The new deliveries will come on top of other pledges of military equipment. The Kiel Institute, which tracks support to Ukraine, estimates that as of June, European countries had provided 72 billion euros ($83 billion) worth of military aid since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, compared to $65 billion in U.S. aid. Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said that 'American air defense systems and munitions, in particular, are crucial for Ukraine to defend itself.' Announcing the deliveries Monday, he said Russia's attacks are 'pure terror, intended to break Ukraine.' President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the Netherlands, posting on social media that 'Ukraine, and thus the whole of Europe, will be better protected from Russian terror.' He said the deliveries are coming 'at a time when Russia is trying to scale up its strikes. This will definitely help protect the lives of our people!' Germany said Friday it will deliver two more Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine in the coming days. It agreed to the move after securing assurances that the U.S. will prioritize the delivery of new Patriots to Germany to backfill its stocks. These weapon systems are only made in the U.S. As an organization, NATO provides only non-lethal assistance to Ukraine like uniforms, tents, medical supplies and logistics support. The 32-nation military alliance has mostly sought to protect NATO territory from possible Russian attack and avoid being dragged into a war against a nuclear power. But its support role has expanded since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, even as his administration insists European allies must now take care of their own security and that of their war-ravaged neighbor. Trump has made no public promise of weapons or economic support for Ukraine. Trump said on July 28 that the U.S. is "going to be sending now military equipment and other equipment to NATO, and they'll be doing what they want, but I guess it's for the most part working with Ukraine.' ___ Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, and Kirsten Grieshaber and David Keyton in Berlin contributed to this report. Lorne Cook, The Associated Press
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
Trump rules out Bessent as next Fed chair, says may name Powell replacement soon
President Trump said Tuesday morning that the pool of potential nominees to succeed Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is down to four people, and that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will not be nominated for the role. "The two Kevins are doing well, and I have two other people that are doing well," Trump said in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday. The "two Kevins" are in reference to former Fed governor Kevin Warsh and Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council. Asked about Fed Governor Chris Waller and Secretary Bessent, Trump didn't deny that Waller was among the four possible replacements for Powell, but did say that Bessent does not want the job. "I love Scott, but he wants to stay where he is," Trump said. Trump said he may make the decision to announce Powell's replacement "soon," also noting that Fed governor Adriana Kugler is set to leave her post at the end of week and that a nominee for that opening could be announced in the coming days. Asked whether a Kugler replacement could eventually be nominated to replace Powell as Fed chair, Trump said, "that's a possibility, too." Kugler's term as a governor was set to expire on Jan. 31, but she announced last week she will resign on Aug. 8, opening a spot on the Federal Reserve Board for the president to fill. Kugler, who has served as a Fed governor since Sept. 13, 2023, will return to Georgetown University as a professor this fall. Warsh has experience navigating the central bank, serving as Fed governor from 2006 until 2011; Warsh was former Fed Chair Ben Bernanke's liaison to Wall Street during the chaos of the 2008 financial crisis. He is also a known figure to Trump, who interviewed him for the Fed chair post eight years ago before deciding to nominate Powell. Trump nominated Powell to serve as Fed chair in 2017 at the direction of then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Powell's first term as Fed chair began in Feb. 2018. Former President Biden reappointed Powell to another four year term which started in 2022. Powell's current term as Fed chair is set to expire next May. The White House also hopes that Powell will decide to leave the Fed Board of Governors when his chairmanship is up next year, which would open up a second seat Trump can fill. Powell has not yet said whether he intends to do that; his term as a Fed governor is not up until 2028. Warsh has been critical of the Fed of late, suggesting that the Fed could look through inflation related to tariffs because they'd be a one-time increase. He's also argued that the costs involved in renovating the Fed's headquarters represent one of several examples of how the Fed "has lost its way" and that the American people "need a reformer to fix" the institution and rebuild its credibility. "Frankly, it's about breaking some heads," he said on Fox Business last month, calling for "regime change" at the central bank. Hassett, meanwhile, already has a close relationship with Trump, given that he advises the president on economic policy and also served in the first Trump administration. Earlier in the year, Hassett said he was more focused on the 10-year Treasury yield than on any quick monetary policy changes at the Federal Reserve. While the Fed has greater influence on short-term Treasury yields, longer-term yields are influenced by a range of factors outside the Fed and the 10-year holds sway over mortgage rates that more directly weigh on household finances. Recently, Hassett has been more blunt, saying there's no reason why the Fed shouldn't be cutting rates now, something the president has repeatedly hammered the central bank to do. Hassett signaled in an interview Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press that he's open to succeeding Fed Chair Powell if the president chooses him. 'I've been working with the president for about eight years, and, you know, as one of his closest economic advisers, of course, we've talked about the Federal Reserve,' Hassett told NBC. When pressed whether he'd say yes if chosen to be the next Fed Chair, Hassett said, 'we'll have to see if he chooses me.' Meanwhile, Fed Governor Waller — whom the president acknowledged is in the running for chair — dissented at last week's central bank policy meeting along with Fed Governor Michelle Bowman, with both preferring the Fed cut rates by 25 basis rather than keeping interest rates unchanged. Connectez-vous pour accéder à votre portefeuille
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
EU Continues to Press for Tariff Exemption on Wine, Spirits as Part of U.S. Deal
The European Union is pushing to exempt its wine and spirit exports to the U.S. from tariffs, an EU official said, as both sides work toward fine-tuning a deal. Wines, spirits and beer are all important products for the EU, the official said on Tuesday. Earning More but in Worse Shape: Hardship Overwhelms Many American Families Real Strains Inside the BLS Made It Vulnerable to Trump's Accusations AI Is Listening to Your Meetings. Watch What You Say. Elon Musk Gets $23.7 Billion Stock Award From Tesla to Stay Focused Eric and Donald Trump Jr. to Own Millions of Shares in New U.S. Manufacturing SPAC French politicians have called for alcoholic beverages to be exempt from a baseline 15% tariff that will hit a majority of goods from the EU later this week as part of the trade deal. The EU official said negotiators hope to have more news soon on which products would be included in a list of goods that will be exempted from that rate. He said there are a range of products—including medical devices and chemicals—that European policymakers believe should have an effective zero-tariff placed on them as part of the agreement. 'We fight for every product and every industry,' they said, adding that EU negotiators are trying to get as many products as possible included in the list of exemptions. 'We hope to see more clarity and more focus as we progress,' they said. Another EU official said the bloc expects that cork and cork-related products could be on the list of exemptions in the future. 'There are a certain number of natural resources which the U.S. also has indicated an interest in being able to continue importing at zero duties and cork is among those,' they said. Officials also highlighted that the 15% baseline is an 'all-inclusive' tariff rate, which means it won't be stacked on top of existing tariffs. The U.S. is still investigating some sectors—including pharmaceuticals and semiconductors—to assess whether to impose tariffs on them. If it eventually does, the EU officials said they expect exports from the EU in those areas will be capped at 15%. Talks on steel and aluminum duties are taking longer while details on export quotas are hashed out, one official said. The EU and U.S. are in the final stages of drafting a joint statement on their trade deal, which would essentially be a nonbinding rundown of what both sides have agreed to. That should include a range of political agreements touching not only on tariffs but also on EU regulations that U.S. President Trump has criticized as making it harder for businesses to operate in the bloc, officials said. 'We do not change our rules. In some areas however, we are ready to discuss streamlining ways to complying with rules,' one official said, adding that any work to simplify compliance wouldn't discriminate in favor of American companies. The European Commission is already in the process of simplifying a raft of legal texts governing things like corporate sustainability reporting and data protection in a broader push to inject life into the European economy. One of the officials also said the EU won't cede ground on enforcing the Digital Markets Act, a rulebook designed to rein in the market power of U.S. tech giants like Apple that has drawn ire from the Trump administration in recent months. Write to Edith Hancock at This VC Firm Is Striking Gold, Reaping $11 Billion From Figma, Other Startups Palantir Surges on First $1 Billion Revenue Quarter Trump's BLS Firing Tests Wall Street's Reliance on Government Data Cash Windfall From Trump's Tax Law Is Starting to Show Up at Big Companies For a Few CEOs, Pay Keeps Growing—by the Billions
