(Adnkronos) –
The summit of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris is a fundamental step for the creation of the multinational force that will be active in Ukraine after the end of the war with Russia. Europe will send soldiers to contribute to the security guarantees requested by Kyiv to prevent further attacks by Vladimir Putin in the near or distant future.
The document produced in Paris refers to a “Multinational Force for Ukraine”, composed of contributions from willing nations within the Coalition, “to support the reconstruction of the Ukrainian armed forces and support deterrence. Military planning has been conducted for reassurance measures in the air, at sea and on land and for the regeneration of Ukraine’s armed forces,” the text explains. Such measures will be implemented “strictly at Ukraine’s request once a credible cessation of hostilities has occurred. These elements will be European-led, with the involvement of non-European members of the Coalition and proposed support from the USA”.
Who will definitely send soldiers to Ukraine? Who is evaluating the hypothesis? And who is ruling it out? France and the United Kingdom are at the forefront, as confirmed by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “Several thousand” French soldiers could be deployed to maintain peace in Ukraine, Macron says, speaking to public broadcaster ‘France 2’. The French president speaks about sending “several thousand men as part of our external operations,” the day “after peace.” “These are not forces engaged in combat,” but rather “a reassurance force,” he adds.
Starmer echoes this. “After the ceasefire, Great Britain and France will create military hubs in Ukraine to support Kyiv’s defense needs,” he says. Paris, London, and Kyiv have signed a declaration of intent “concerning the deployment of forces in Ukraine when there is a peace agreement. This is a vital part of our strong commitment to stand by Ukraine in the long term,” Starmer explains.
The document “also creates the legal framework within which British, French, and partner forces can operate on Ukrainian soil, ensuring the security not only of the land but also of Ukraine’s airspace and maritime space”.
Germany could also join the mechanism. “Each Coalition partner must be able to decide what their contribution will be. Germany will commit politically, financially, and militarily, and this could mean that we will be able to announce the availability of German armed forces on Ukrainian territory,” says German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. “However, this is a decision that the federal government, the Bundestag, will have to make once the conditions are met, and on behalf of the federal government, I can say that we rule nothing out,” he adds.
In this specific context, Italy’s position remains unchanged, as clarified by the Palazzo Chigi note after the summit attended by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “While confirming Italy’s support for Ukraine’s security, consistent with what has always been done – the note reads -, Prime Minister Meloni reiterated some firm points of the Italian government’s position on the issue of guarantees, in particular the exclusion of the deployment of Italian troops on the ground”.
