Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Friday that agreements for the deployment of European troops into Ukraine will be finalized in a month. While Zelensky and other European leaders have talked about this possibility for months, this is the first definitive statement with tangible timelines that have so far been publicly stated.
A French and British delegation, led by General Thierry Burkhard and Admiral Antony Radakin respectively, arrived in Kiev on Friday to discuss the potential of troop deployments to Ukraine.
Zelensky, when asked, stated he believed French troops would be among the first to be deployed but did not provide much details on specifics, but did state that regular meetings will be taking place between the countries militaries on working out logistics and this contingent will be present on the ground, in the air, at sea and will be providing air defense.
While Russia has yet to publicly comment on these statements by Zelensky, past statements made by Russian officials from President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov have made it clear that Russia will treat any foreign troops in Ukraine as enemy combatants.
One of the issues Russia has raised with the U.S. regarding their unwillingness to agree to an unconditional ceasefire that was offered by the U.S. last month is their concerns any ceasefire could be used by Ukraine and EU countries to send in troops from NATO countries.
In February, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron visited President Donald Trump at the White House to ask for an American “backstop”, if European troops were attacked should they move into Ukraine the U.S. would guarantee their safety and intervene militarily. Donald Trump has so far declined to provide these guarantees.