Moscow/Kyiv, Feb 25 (.) Western nations will not be able to put boots on the ground in Ukraine without Russian consent, reports The Telegraph citing anonymous diplomatic and defence sources.
According to the publication, a growing number of member states of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” reportedly acknowledged in private that any potential military contribution in Ukraine was dependent entirely on the approval of the Kremlin, with some coalition members affirming that they would only deploy their forces “if there’s Russian consent”.
This hesitation stems from concerns from Moscow’s stance that any foreign force stationed in Ukraine would be considered a legitimate military target by Russia, prodding extreme caution from Europe regarding any potential troop deployment into Kyiv.
Moscow’s warnings that foreign troops would be considered legitimate military targets are taken seriously, and given that risk, “you need to send a different kind of force,” the source said, adding that Russian opposition has had “a tremendous effect” on the discussions, with a European defence source describing the proposed mission as “rather hypothetical.”
The question of security guarantees has also featured prominently in deliberations, with UK PM Keir Starmer announcing that Britain and France have jointly signed a declaration of intent to deploy troops in Ukraine in case of a peace deal with Russia, with French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting thousands of troops could be deployed.
According to media reports, any deployment by European NATO members would likely require backing from the US, particularly in the form of security assurances to deter potential escalation.
Russia, since the start of the conflict, has characterised it as a proxy war against NATO, leading to Moscow’s consistent rejection of the idea of stationing any alliance troops on Ukrainian soil.
Following the escalation of hostilities in 2022, Western governments sought to isolate Moscow diplomatically, though things have taken a very different turn at the moment, due to Washington’s changed defence policy under President Donald Trump, which has heavily pursued efforts geared towards reaching a mutually acceptable settlement, prompting debate within Europe over the appropriate course of action.
However, many European leaders remain sceptical with regard to negotiating with Moscow, as a diplomatic source cited by The Telegraph argued that governments seeking a role in shaping peace terms effectively risk giving Putin a veto over their military planning.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been widely associated with a hardline stance on Russia, told the newspaper that current US-mediated talks were “completely abstract” and has actively called for further military support to Ukraine, including the delivery of Tomahawk cruise missiles.
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