Speculation has been growing that Western nations could put boots on the ground if a ceasefire is reached between Kiev and Moscow
Poland has currently no plans to send troops to Ukraine, the country’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said, as speculation grows surrounding the potential deployment of peacekeeping troops by Western nations in the event of a ceasefire being achieved.
Tusk made the remarks on Thursday during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is in Warsaw on an official visit. One of Ukraine’s strongest backers, Poland is about to assume the EU Council presidency next month.
“To cut off speculation about the potential presence of this or that country in Ukraine after reaching a ceasefire… decisions concerning Poland will be made in Warsaw and only in Warsaw,” Tusk stated. “For the time being, we are not planning such actions,” he stressed.
The remarks follow a range of media reports that suggested France and the UK have been considering deploying their troops to Ukraine. The force is reportedly supposed to act as peacekeepers to observe a ceasefire in the event of Moscow and Kiev engaging in talks. The topic has also been invoked by Germany’s leadership, yet Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said the deployment of his country’s troops to Ukraine was “out of the question” before a “real ceasefire” was established.
Earlier this month, an unnamed high-ranking NATO official, who spoke to state-funded news outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, suggested that the true goal of the potential deployment was ensuring that European NATO members still have a say in the Ukraine conflict’s resolution after US President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
Tusk acknowledged that the issue of sending troops in the context of a ceasefire or a peace deal had been raised in his one-to-one meeting with Macron, telling journalists “We have discussed it.”
Both Macron and Tusk have said it’s up to Ukrainians to decide when peace talks can start.
The French president confirmed to media that talks with Tusk had focused on Ukraine and the “day after” the war, without giving any further details.
According to a report on Wednesday in Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita that cited diplomatic sources, Macron was traveling to Warsaw to discuss with Tusk an idea of sending a 40,000-strong peacekeeping force composed of troops from foreign countries.
Russia has repeatedly ruled out freezing the conflict, stressing that all the goals of its military operation, including Ukraine’s neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification, must be met.
Moscow has insisted that any settlement is only possible if Ukraine withdraws its forces from Russian territory, including the former Ukrainian regions, ensures the rights of its Russian-speaking population, and adheres to neutrality.
