France and the United Kingdom are considering the possibility of sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine following a potential ceasefire agreement.
This is reported by The Telegraph. According to sources from the publication, French President Emmanuel Macron is in favor of this step and has already discussed it with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. However, no specific details from the meetings held last week at Chequers have been officially confirmed by either the UK or France.
According to one source, British officials have expressed concerns about the potential risks associated with deploying troops to Ukraine.
"There are issues regarding what we can support, what we would like to support, and the broader question of the threat that these troops may face, and whether this constitutes an escalation," says one source from the publication.
One of the ideas for ending the war in Ukraine, which is being discussed in Washington, London, and Paris, involves creating a demilitarized buffer zone along the border between Ukraine and Russia, where Western peacekeeping forces could be stationed. During his conversation with Zelensky, Macron emphasized that European countries must play a key role in ensuring security and peace guarantees for Ukraine.
However, despite the optimism from the French side, the UK is not yet ready to make a final decision. British officials are warning against hasty actions, as the deployment of peacekeepers could provoke a strong reaction from Russia if the Kremlin perceives it as an escalation of the conflict. Additionally, sending peacekeeping forces would increase the burden on the UK's defense budget.
Source: telegraph.