In a joint statement on Monday, European leaders proposed the creation of a “multinational force” under the leadership of Europe and with the support of the United States, which should oversee compliance with a peace agreement in the war in Ukraine. TASR informs about it according to the reports of the AFP agency and The Guardian newspaper.
Such forces, according to the statement, should be part of “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine from the United States and Europe aimed at overseeing Russia’s compliance with a potential peace deal. The US and Europe also want to help Ukraine build an army of 800,000 soldiers in peacetime so that it can defend its territory again if necessary.
The leaders welcomed “significant progress” in negotiations to end the war and US President Donald Trump’s efforts to “ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.” They agreed to continue working with Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “with the goal of achieving a lasting peace that preserves Ukrainian sovereignty and European security.”
Europeans also mention “a US-led ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism with international participation that will provide early warning of any future attack” and will be able to detect any breach of the peace.
The key point for Ukraine is the section on legal obligations, in which the leaders ask “take measures to restore peace and security in the event of a future armed attack using armed forces, intelligence, logistical, economic and diplomatic actions”.
According to The Guardian, this may be the point Zelenskyy referred to as guarantees similar to Article Five of the North Atlantic Treaty. In the statement, the Europeans also mentioned “investing in the future prosperity of Ukraine” or its support in the accession process to the European Union. In the document, the leaders also reiterated their long-standing position that international borders must not be changed by force.
The joint statement was signed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Störe, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
