Europe may deploy troops to Ukraine, but not under NATO's flag, as Russia would not accept it.

The Washington Post reports, citing officials involved in discussions regarding troop deployment.

According to them, the working concept is that a group of European countries will assemble their forces to support the ceasefire or act as a deterrent against any future Russian attacks.

These forces will not operate under NATO's flag, as this requires consensus among Alliance members, and such an idea has been deemed impossible by Russia.

WP indicates that this idea has garnered interest, particularly from the UK, Baltic nations, and Northern European countries. However, it is still unclear which specific countries will commit to sending troops, in what numbers, and what their mandate will be.

The publication refers to analysts and officials who state that creating such forces will necessitate gathering tens of thousands of military personnel. Although American troops will not be included, political and logistical support from the U.S. could be crucial.

Furthermore, a key question being discussed in Europe is what will happen if Russia attacks the deployed European forces. An official involved in the discussions noted that “there are many opinions, but no decisions yet.”

WP's sources point out that these negotiations are still in the early stages, as peace in Ukraine remains a distant prospect.

Western Troops in Ukraine

In February, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a meeting of partner countries for Kyiv in Paris to discuss the potential deployment of troops to Ukraine. However, he noted that the states have not reached a consensus on this matter yet.

Recently, the French publication Le Monde reported that several European leaders have once again returned to the discussion regarding the possible deployment of Western troops to Ukraine due to the potential withdrawal of Donald Trump's support for Kyiv.

Meanwhile, American media circulated a plan to resolve the war in Ukraine, allegedly proposed by Donald Trump's advisors.

This plan, in particular, envisions the establishment of a demilitarized zone along the frozen front line between Russia and Ukraine, with security there guaranteed by troops from European countries.

Previously, Italy and Germany expressed readiness to send peacekeepers, while Poland stated that they do not plan to send their troops.

In the Netherlands, there was a suggestion that the EU peacekeeping mission could be sent to Ukraine without unanimous agreement from all member states of the bloc.