French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly exploring the possibility of a European peacekeeping mission in Ukraine to guard against renewed Russian aggression.
He plans to consult with Poland, a key ally in this initiative, as part of efforts to create a deterrent force if an agreement to end the current phase of the war is reached,News.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.
The proposal involves deploying peacekeeping forces from European countries. If an agreement to end the current phase of the war between Russia and Ukraine is reached, these forces could serve as a deterrent against a new Russian attack. Such an agreement is expected to be initiated by the newly elected US president.
According to the report, discussions on this potential mission will be a central topic during Macron’s visit to Warsaw on 12 December. It is also likely that Macron broached the idea with US President-elect Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting last Saturday, as numerous leaders gathered for the reopening of the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Journalists speculate that Macron also discussed this proposal in his one-on-one meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in mid-November and his discussions with representatives from Northern European and Baltic countries on 27 November.
An expert from the Paris-based think tank IFRI, Élie Tenenbaum, provided comments for the article regarding the hypothetical design of such a peacekeeping mission. They think that the project would require a force of up to five brigades (around 40,000 personnel), with Poland potentially taking command of one brigade due to its military capabilities and strategic location.
Camille Grand, former Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment at NATO, commented that if a peacekeeping mission were to be implemented, it would be most effective with participation from as many countries as possible, enhancing its deterrent impact. However, he emphasised the importance of at least symbolic US involvement in the initiative. Grand speculated that the Netherlands would likely participate, and after a change in leadership, Germany might also join.