Zelenskyy: Peacekeepers on Ukrainian Soil Must Be Part of Broader Security Guarantees

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outlined the possibility of deploying a European peacekeeping contingent on Ukrainian soil as part of broader security guarantees. This was stated during a press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on January 15.

“We are discussing with the French side the possibility of a European contingent on Ukrainian territory. At this stage, the discussions are quite general. We support the idea that contingents from various allied and strategic partner countries could become part of security guarantees. However, this alone would not be sufficient as the sole guarantee of security,” the President explained.

According to Zelenskyy, the potential deployment of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine will be discussed with the British Prime Minister and has already been discussed with Baltic partners.

“Stepping back to the contingent, first and foremost, it could and should include instructors with a comprehensive program to train our soldiers and military forces directly on Ukrainian soil. This is something we are addressing as part of the broader program for the potential deployment of forces and resources if it comes to fruition,” he clarified.

Zelenskyy emphasized that a Western military contingent could only serve as one component of broader security guarantees for Ukraine. However, questions remain about the nature of such a contingent—its composition, the countries involved, its size, and its specific locations.

French President Emmanuel Macron proposed the deployment of peacekeepers to Ukraine in December 2024, as part of a broader European initiative to ensure regional stability. Italy has also expressed interest in contributing to peacekeeping efforts, joining discussions with other key NATO allies, including the United Kingdom and Baltic nations.

Earlier, it was reported that France secretly conducted large-scale military exercises codenamed ‘Perseus’  last fall, simulating the deployment of special forces in Ukraine to repel a hypothetical Russian breakthrough from Belarus, the French outlet Intelligence Online reported on January 15.