Reuters: Europe seeks alternatives to peacekeepers in Ukraine due to challenges in implementation

European states willing to guarantee a future peace settlement in Ukraine are shifting discussions away from deploying ground troops towards alternatives, due to internal disagreements and potential opposition from the US and Russia.

As reported by Reuters, the coalition of the willing, led by France and Britain, has been working for several weeks on a plan to send thousands of troops to Ukraine to secure a future ceasefire.

However, Reuters sources within European diplomatic circles indicate growing doubts about the feasibility of this option.

"They [European states – ed.] are taking a step back from ground troops and trying to re-dimension what they were doing to something that could be more sensible," one European diplomat told Reuters.

Another diplomat stated that the idea of deploying troops was "appealed" when Ukraine "was in a better position", but this is no longer the case given the battlefield situation and the stance of the US administration.

Some European countries are reluctant to send troops without firm US guarantees and an international mandate. They are also concerned about costs, shortages of personnel and equipment and, ultimately, the prospect of direct conflict with Russia, the report says.

A Reuters source within the EU stated that the idea of a ground presence in Ukraine has not been completely abandoned, adding: "It doesn’t mean individual countries won’t have soldiers deployed in Ukraine to provide training and other support".

Among the alternatives to troop deployment mentioned in the report are potential support for a UN peacekeeping mission, an increased military presence in neighbouring countries and the Italian prime minister’s idea of extending NATO Article 5 guarantees to Ukraine.

One European diplomat told Reuters that the latter option would offer "the biggest security guarantee you can provide at a lower cost" compared to actual deployment of troop in Ukraine.