In their peace plan, US and European leaders call for strengthening AFU, deploying European forces in Ukraine – media
The U.S.-European peace plan to deter future Russian attacks on Ukraine calls for a more robust Ukrainian military, the deployment of European forces inside the country and increased use of American intelligence, according to officials familiar with drafts that detail the proposal.
“American and European diplomats meeting with Ukraine’s leaders over the past two days in Berlin have mostly signed off on two documents that outline the security guarantees, the officials said publicly and privately. The security documents are designed to serve as the cornerstone of a broader agreement aimed at reaching a cease-fire to end the nearly four-year-old conflict,” the message reads.
One of the two documents lays out broad principles. They amount to what two American officials and several European diplomats said was a commitment similar to NATO’s Article 5 guarantee, in which all member nations pledge to come to the aid of any nation that is attacked.
The second part of the agreement, which American officials described as a “mil-to-mil operating document,” or military-to-military, provides more granular detail. It explains how American and European forces would work with Ukraine’s military to ensure that Russia does not once again attempt to seize Ukrainian territory in the years to come.
“Neither document has been made public. People familiar with them said the operating document includes numerous, specific directives designed to reassure Ukraine in various scenarios of possible Russian incursion. One American official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity, said that the document was “very specific” about how to deter further incursions and punish Russia if they occur,” the message reads.
The first priority is a plan to bring the size of Ukraine’s military to a “peacetime level” of 800,000 troops, with up-to-date training and equipment, to serve as a strong deterrent against Russia. Building and maintaining such a force would require “sustained and significant support” for Ukraine. One European diplomat said without specifying that the document lists “very concrete” details about military hardware that Ukraine needs.
The document also lays out details about a Europe-led military force to assist Ukraine by operating inside the country to secure the skies and seas. Officials declined to provide specifics about which countries would station troops in Ukraine. Those troops are expected to be based in western Ukraine, away from any cease-fire line, to serve as another level of deterrence against any future Russian aggression.
Instead, the operational document provides detail about how the United States would use its vast intelligence systems to help monitor the cease-fire and detect Russian activity aimed at re-entering the rest of Ukraine, officials said. The Americans would also help verify Russian compliance and make sure that minor skirmishes between Russia and Ukraine do not spiral into a new war. It also details how the United States would help detect Russian attempts to create “false flag” operations that might give Moscow a pretense to resume hostilities. Officials have said for years that is a common Russian tactic.
Monday’s statement from the European leaders said the United States would lead a “cease-fire monitoring and verification mechanism with international participation to provide early warning of any future attack.” The ezine says that it was not clear whether or how American forces would intervene to defend European troops in Ukraine should they be attacked.
The ezine notes that American and European officials said the new security guarantee would be legally binding, subject to each country’s procedures. U.S. officials said that Mr. Trump had agreed to submit the security guarantees to the Senate, where treaties are typically ratified, though they did not make clear whether they would formally submit the guarantees as a treaty.
The publication notes, however, that Russia is not participating in the negotiations and has shown little willingness to do so, suggesting that a broad ceasefire remains elusive. Some European leaders have hinted at persistent concerns that any diplomatic engagement with the Americans may be inappropriate unless the fundamental disputes between Russia and Ukraine are resolved.
“It sounded very promising, compared to the previous declarations, that the Americans are ready to give guarantees — but it would be an exaggeration if I said that we know everything about the concrete details,” said Donald Tusk, the prime minister of Poland.
