“There will be no just and lasting peace in Ukraine without the participation of Europeans,” French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said at the meeting of ministers from France, Britain, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, Ukraine and the European Commission on Wednesday.
European powers, including Britain, France and Germany, have said they have to be part of any future negotiations on the fate of Ukraine, underscoring that only a fair accord with security guarantees would ensure lasting peace.
Having ruled out Nato membership for Ukraine, Hegseth said peace would instead have to be secured by “capable European and non-European troops”, who he stressed would not come from the US.
Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations,” seven European countries and the European Commission said in a joint statement after a foreign ministers meeting in Paris.
A multinational deterrence force based in Ukraine after a ceasefire would need to be 100,000 to 150,000 strong, Zelenskyy said, though that would be far smaller than the 600,000-plus Russian troops in occupied Ukraine.
