At the EU summit, Macron plans to raise the issue of deploying a European military contingent in Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron plans to raise the issue of the possible placement of a peacekeeping mission on the territory of Ukraine at the summit of European Union leaders, which will be held on December 18-19. The initiative to discuss this issue arose in the context of a potential cessation of hostilities and the achievement of a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. About this reported a European diplomat who wished to remain anonymous, according to a Radio Liberty correspondent in Brussels.
Despite the fact that the official comments of many high-ranking officials testify to the prematureness of such discussions, this topic is still actively discussed. For example, the new head of EU diplomacy, Kaia Callas, believes that the time for such a discussion has not yet come. However, according to the source, Macron’s initiative is gaining relevance due to his recent visit to Poland, discussions in the media, as well as preparations for cooperation with the elected US President Donald Trump, who can significantly influence the policy regarding the war in Ukraine.
For the first time, Emmanuel Macron raised this issue back in February 2024. Currently, the idea of a peacekeeping mission is at the initial stage of discussion, and there are no specific proposals yet. According to two other European diplomats, the initiative is part of a broader strategy to involve the EU in a peaceful settlement of the conflict and ensure its role in the negotiations.
France is actively working to create a coalition of 5-8 European countries that are ready to support this step. According to the Reuters news agency, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also plans to hold a separate meeting on the sidelines of the summit in Brussels on December 18. The leaders of Ukraine, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland will take part in this meeting to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
Officially, Macron has not yet presented a concrete proposal for a peacekeeping mission, but the topic is already attracting considerable interest and preparations for its discussion are underway.
