Deployment of European Peacekeeping Forces in Ukraine Possible but Will Not Replace NATO Path – Zelenskyy

The deployment of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine is realistic, but it should not become an alternative to Ukraine's future membership in NATO. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an interview on 2 January on the air of the United News telethon, Ukrinform reported. 

‘It should definitely be on the way to NATO. This does not mean that the deployment of European forces excludes a future in NATO,’ Zelenskyy said.

The President of Ukraine supported French President Emmanuel Macron's initiative to deploy a French contingent in Ukraine, but noted that this is not enough: ‘France alone is not enough. We would not want it to be one or two countries. If it comes to this initiative, other countries should join the mission.’

According to Zelenskyy, the UK and ‘some other countries’ may join the peacekeeping mission. The President of Ukraine clarified that some governments are currently refraining from publicly confirming their participation for fear of pressure from Russia.

He also mentioned that the idea had been discussed with Donald Trump, but there have been no signals of possible US participation in such a mission.

‘This idea came up at our meeting with Macron and Trump in France. I saw that Trump was positive about this idea, but I raised the issue that we have not yet heard which specific countries are among these forces and whether the United States will be there,’ Zelenskyy said.

The President of Ukraine also clarified that an effective peacekeeping mission requires a much broader approach that goes beyond just a quantitative presence.

‘It is too early to talk about this. One, two, three thousand is just for show, and it will not work. If we are talking about a serious contingent, for example, in the Odesa region, it is not just about the number of people. We must also talk about the fleet, both air and sea. Such a presence is not just about numbers, but also about technology, ships and aircraft,’ Zelenskyy stressed.

Currently, more than half of Germans support the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. This is evidenced by survey data published by DW. The YouGov poll, commissioned by the German news agency dpa, showed that 56% of participants supported the creation of an international peacekeeping force in Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached.