European countries are advancing plans for Ukrainian peacekeeping forces, and Britain has pledged to maintain a military presence to “as much as possible”. France also said that France is willing to mobilize civilians due to increasing concerns about Russian aggression, while the Kremlin warned that any NATO participation would be considered an act of war.
The proposed European-led peacekeeping force is designed to patrol the Ukrainian border and ensure Russia complies with a future ceasefire agreement. The initiative, led by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, has been developing for weeks. However, former Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev condemned the proposal, accusing Starmer and Macron of ignoring previous warnings that peacekeeping forces should not be drawn from NATO member states.
In a statement on social media, Medvedev issued a clear warning, saying: “This means a war with NATO. Consult Trump, mean people.” His comments were made when military leaders from various countries prepared to hold an operational planning meeting in London to discuss post-war security in Europe.
Starmer, who played a leadership role in ganging European support for Ukraine, reiterated his commitment to deploying British troops and noted that they would stay in Ukraine with Western allies if necessary. France also explored the idea of mobilizing civilians to assist defense efforts, although Macron dismissed the possibility of resuming mandatory military service on the grounds of Macron’s logistical challenges.
Several other countries, including Türkiye, Canada and Australia, are also considering their contributions, hoping to deploy up to 30,000 soldiers from NATO affiliated forces. Set additional support to appear in the form of weapons and logistical assistance.
Russia has repeatedly warned that the existence of any foreign force in Ukraine would escalate the conflict. Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko insists that any ceasefire agreement must exclude NATO membership in Ukraine and prohibit the deployment of foreign military forces. Russian officials and state media figures also pose a positive threat to Western countries, with propagandist Vladimir Solovyov warning: “We will kill everyone, we will kill everyone.”
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are underway, with former U.S. President Donald Trump setting out to hold a phone call with Vladimir Putin to discuss a potential ceasefire. Trump expressed confidence that he could convince Russian leaders to agree to the peace deal, although Putin had raised “serious issues” about the proposed clauses.
Despite ongoing negotiations, the battle on the battlefield continues to intensify. Russian troops have reportedly driven Ukrainian troops out of much of the Kursk region, marking a huge setback in Kiev. Ukraine’s military leadership acknowledged the territorial losses in the region, and reports indicate evacuation from Sudzha and surrounding villages.
Amid concerns over the trajectory of the war, Trump’s national security adviser Michael Waltz suggested that Ukraine may eventually be forced to ced some territory as part of a negotiated settlement in exchange for future security assurances.
