On Wednesday, the Kremlin reiterated its strong opposition to the deployment of European troops in Ukraine, stating that one of the primary reasons behind its full-scale invasion in 2022 was to thwart NATO’s military presence in the country.
“We have a negative stance on such discussions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the potential for a European peacekeeping force as part of a postwar resolution.
According to a report by the Financial Times on Tuesday, Ukraine’s Western allies have proposed a three-tier defense strategy as part of security assurances for Kyiv. This plan includes the establishment of a demilitarized zone overseen by peacekeepers from a neutral country, followed by NATO-trained Ukrainian forces securing a fortified border, and U.S.-supported European deterrence units making up a third defensive line.
Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff for Ukraine’s president, mentioned in an interview with the newspaper that the discussions encompassed the potential deployment of four to five European brigades along with “strategic enablers” from the U.S.
Peskov dismissed the notion of sending European forces to Ukraine, emphasizing that most European armed forces are part of NATO. He indicated that one of the likely motivations for the invasion was to prevent NATO’s presence in Ukraine.
The spokesperson also highlighted that ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the conflict include security guarantees for Ukraine, which he referred to as “one of the most crucial issues,” but he deemed it “inappropriate” to discuss specifics publicly.
Ukraine is pursuing Western-backed assurances to protect against future Russian aggression, while Moscow is insisting that Kyiv relinquish additional territory in the east as a precondition for concluding the war. A coalition of willing nations, spearheaded by Britain and France, has committed to safeguarding Ukraine against future threats, but uncertainties linger regarding the actual commitments from this group of approximately 30 countries.
Peskov also dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s attempts to arrange a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“High-level discussions must be thoroughly prepared to be successful,” he stated, noting that although Russian and Ukrainian negotiators maintain communication, no date has been set for further talks.
Reports from AFP contributed to this coverage.
