KYIV, Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine shared that he has continued discussions with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, regarding the potential deployment of Western troops in Ukraine aimed at protecting any peace agreements that may come to fruition, marking nearly three years of conflict with Russia.
Prior to a scheduled visit to Kyiv on Tuesday by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Zelenskyy made this announcement. Pistorius arrived in Kyiv unexpectedly after a meeting with defense ministers from France, the UK, Italy, and Poland in Warsaw. These five nations are recognized as the leading military spenders in Europe.
Pistorius conveyed to the German news agency dpa that his trip to Kyiv was meant to demonstrate Germany’s unwavering support for Ukraine, especially in light of the impending policy shifts expected from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, whose term is set to begin next week. He emphasized that the visit serves as a message that Germany, the largest NATO member in Europe, backs Ukraine alongside a coalition of allies.
Trump has criticized the financial burden of the conflict on U.S. taxpayers and has expressed intentions to expedite an end to the war while suggesting that Europe should take on more responsibility for the situation in Ukraine.
Macron faced criticism from other European leaders after he proposed nearly a year ago that Western troops could be stationed in Ukraine, leaving him somewhat isolated on the European political stage. However, Pistorius informed reporters in Kyiv that the discussions in Warsaw did not address Macron’s troop deployment proposal.
Zelenskyy has made it clear that Ukraine requires security assurances to reinforce any peace deal, highlighting that this was a topic of conversation he had with Macron. “As one of these guarantees, we discussed the French initiative to deploy military contingents in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy elaborated, noting that they considered practical steps for its implementation and further involvement from other nations.
The idea of deploying European troops as peacekeepers to Ukraine presents significant challenges and risks. Officials in Ukraine worry that such a deployment may not dissuade Russia from future aggressions and could potentially entangle European nations in a direct confrontation with Moscow, which could, in turn, invite NATO—including the United States—into the conflict.
Throughout the extended front line of approximately 1,000 kilometers (600 miles), Russian forces have largely placed Ukrainian troops on the defensive. In the eastern Donetsk region, Ukrainian defenses are under severe strain as they face an intensified Russian offensive.
Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine currently has over 100 brigades engaged in the conflict, each requiring replenishment of equipment in preparation for a broader mobilization to increase troop numbers.
Ukraine has developed a domestic arsenal of long-range drones and missiles to attack strategic Russian objectives located deep behind the front lines, focusing on critical infrastructure, such as arms depots, oil refineries, and manufacturing facilities essential to the Russian military effort.
On Tuesday, the Ukrainian General Staff announced a succession of successful strikes in three regions of Russia as well as its Republic of Tatarstan, with some attacks reaching approximately 1,100 kilometers (nearly 700 miles) into Russian territory. Among the reported targets were an oil refinery, a fuel storage depot, a chemical plant responsible for producing ammunition, and two anti-aircraft missile systems.
Russian authorities, however, did not confirm any substantial damage or injuries from these recent aerial assaults. The Russian Defense Ministry alleged that Ukraine had launched six U.S.-made ATACMS missiles, six U.K.-supplied Storm Shadow missiles, and 31 drones against its Bryansk region bordering Ukraine. While the ministry claimed all missiles and drones were intercepted by air defense systems, they warned that the attack “will not go unanswered.”
Repeatedly, Russia has issued threats of retaliation against Ukraine and Western nations in response to the use of longer-range weaponry provided by these allies to strike Russian territory.
