Britain And France Draft Security Guarantee Plan For Ukraine
- 13.03.2025, 8:10
Bloomberg revealed the details.
The UK and France are trying to develop a plan to strengthen Ukraine's position in the negotiations on the cessation of Russian aggression. The idea, in particular, provides for the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine, which US President Donald Trump would support.
Bloomberg reports.
Official London and Paris are trying to draw up a plan to provide Ukraine with security guarantees. This is happening against the background of Moscow's demands that the Ukrainian army be significantly reduced as part of any settlement of the Russian war against Ukraine.
On Wednesday, talks were held in Paris between the defense ministers of France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy and Poland to agree on support for Ukraine.
As French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu told at a press conference with colleagues from other European countries about "a broad consensus is emerging that the first security guarantee for Ukraine is the Ukrainian army itself, its capacities, its armament, its training."
"Long-lasting security guarantees will depend on the capacities we’ll be able to provide Ukraine," the French minister stressed.
Lecorneu also warned that Europe needs to rapidly develop space technologies and reduce its dependence on Starlink from SpaceX, owned by American billionaire Elon Musk.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius welcomed the US statement on the continuation of military support for Ukraine. At the same time, the head of the German Defence Ministry noted that Europe could replace certain US assistance and services, including Starlink
“We can quickly intervene, for example, with ammunition, as well as with satellite communications, if necessary,” Pistorius told media representatives at a press conference.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said on 12 March that defence ministers from different countries would meet again next week to continue discussions on “military planning” in the event of a settlement.
According to Bloomberg, British Prime Minister Cyrus Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are negotiating between 37 countries to create a “coalition of the willing” for Ukraine if a peaceful settlement is reached.
“This means that countries in Europe, the Commonwealth and Asia will contribute funding, troops, aircraft or naval vessels to help protect Ukraine from the prospect of further Russian aggression,” the Western news agency writes.
Non-NATO nations including Australia, Japan and New Zealand joined talks in Paris with the military chiefs of dozens of European countries, as well as Canada, on Tuesday, according to Bloomberg.
Security guarantees
British officials told Western media that the proposed “reassurance forces” they seek to unite are an important security guarantee for Ukraine. They believe that any attempts by Russia to block such a process by NATO member countries would be a deliberate attempt to disrupt the prospects for a lasting peace.
According to Bloomberg, each country was asked what they were willing to provide to the coalition, and those who ruled out sending troops to Ukraine were asked if they were ready for ground troops to be stationed in neighboring European countries, and what other contributions they could make, including sending ships, planes, tanks, and providing intelligence.
Representatives of the European defense ministry believe that the deployment of European troops in Ukraine is an integral part of a lasting, lasting peaceful solution.
At the same time, Russia has already stated that it will not agree to the presence of troops from NATO countries in Ukraine. According to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Lavrov, quoted by the Kremlin propaganda agency TASS, the presence of NATO troops in any capacity in Ukraine "is a threat" to the Russian Federation.
According to Bloomberg, military chiefs will provide Starmer and Macron with more detailed options for peacekeeping forces in the coming days. They will be discussed with other Western leaders during a phone call this weekend.
Then, the Western media writes, they will hand over the plan to Trump, whom they hope will be persuaded to take on security guarantees from the United States in the form of air power, reconnaissance and surveillance of the border without providing American troops to the peacekeeping forces.
It should be added that the UK and France also do not want the United States to yield to the demands of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to "demilitarize" Ukraine and force President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold elections before a permanent peace agreement is concluded.
As Starmer said on Wednesday, the issue of abducted Ukrainian children by Russian invaders should also be considered as part of the settlement.
Officials believe the 30-day cease-fire between the U.S. and Ukraine, coupled with plans for a peacekeeping force, has increased pressure on Russia to make its own concessions.
"However, there are serious concerns that Russia will reject a peaceful settlement and use the ceasefire period for rearmament and further attacks on Ukraine, people warn," Bloomberg writes.