EU Military Committee Chief: UN Mission with EU and Global South Troops Could Monitor Ceasefire in Ukraine
The head of the EU Military Committee, General Robert Briger, has suggested that a UN-mandated mission comprising not only Europeans but also soldiers from other countries, including the Global South, could monitor the ceasefire in Ukraine, Welt reports.
‘A mission under a UN mandate is possible, which would include not only Europeans but also soldiers from the Global South or, for example, the Caucasus. EU soldiers could undoubtedly make a significant contribution,’ said the head of the EU military committee.
Briger also believes that the EU could provide a significant force to monitor the ceasefire. However, monitoring the demilitarised zone along the frontline would certainly require a military presence ‘in the high five-digit range’.
‘This means they would also have the right to enforce the ceasefire with weapons and air support. At the moment, it all sounds very theoretical, but such a scenario could be implemented,’ he added.
The general called US President Donald Trump's plan to quickly end the war in Ukraine by ‘freezing’ the front line ‘unlikely’.
‘Such a decision is unlikely. Simply put, it would have the advantage of ending the deaths. The disadvantage, however, would be that the conflict would continue and, in the worst case, last for decades, such as between North and South Korea,’ Briger said.
Earlier, in February 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the possibility of sending Western ground forces to Ukraine. However, European countries did not reach a consensus at that time.
In January 2025, it became known that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron were negotiating the deployment of British and French troops as a peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine after a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia was reached.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the possibility of sending European troops to Ukraine ‘one of the mechanisms for achieving peace’.