Not Peacekeepers – Expeditionary Combat Forces: France, UK, Ukraine on How to Deter Russia

Officials from France, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine met in Kyiv to discuss the potential deployment of foreign allied forces on Ukrainian soil.

As Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, said, this is not about peacekeepers but about special expeditionary forces.

Podolyak said that in a war with Russia, peacekeeping missions would be ineffective, since Russia would not “disappear from the map” and would remain a threat to the continent, he reportedly told Ukrainian media outlet 24 Kanal. He was adamant that a repeat of the 2022 scenario, when Ukraine faced Russia alone, “must not be allowed.”

“This is not only about troop deployment but about a multifaceted program — including a closed sky enforced by the air forces of other countries, particularly NATO members. It also involves significantly boosting Ukraine’s [air defense] missile capabilities through bases, production, and supply,” Podolyak added.

He said these expeditionary forces would carry out specific tasks both on the front line and at strategically important sites. According to him, Ukraine’s partners, France and the UK, strongly support this idea, seeing it as a necessary measure to deter Russia.

Podolyak also said that the Kremlin must understand that Ukrainian land falls under collective European protection and cannot become a so-called “gray zone” as Russia desires.

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“Our partners are aware of this and are ready to move toward practical implementation. We’re not just talking about France or the UK — there are other countries, like Sweden, that are also considering involvement,” Podolyak said, adding, “Once a ceasefire is reached, discussions will focus on deterrence guarantees, which must be implemented on Ukrainian territory with the presence of foreign nations.”

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Canada is still evaluating the conditions under which it could join a potential “peacekeeping” mission, without drawing a fine distinction between this mission and the seemingly more active “special expeditionary force” mission Podolyak outlined.

In an interview with Radio-Canada, Carney said that Canada will continue to support Ukraine and would not agree to any peace deal dictated by Moscow.

Carney also noted that Canada is part of the “Coalition of the Willing,” coordinated by France and the United Kingdom, and is actively discussing its role with the leaders of both countries.

The Canadian Prime Minister also emphasized that no peace agreement should be concluded without Ukraine’s consent and rejected any ultimatums from the Kremlin — particularly demands to change Ukraine’s central government — as completely unacceptable.

Carney said that he was very proud of how the Canadian government and Canadians, in general, supported the Ukrainian people.