Europe Has ‘Precise Plans’ to Deploy Troops to Ukraine During Ceasefire, EU Chief Says

Europe is drawing up “pretty precise plans” for a multinational troop deployment to Ukraine as part of post-conflict security guarantees that will have the backing of US capabilities, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the Financial Times in an interview published on Sunday.

The force will be part of the “Coalition of the Willing” that is being led by France, the UK and Germany with more than 20 other nations to enforce any future ceasefire in Ukraine.  

“President Trump reassured us that there will be [an] American presence as part of the backstop,” von der Leyen told the FT, adding that “That was very clear and repeatedly affirmed.” 

The deployment is set to include potentially tens of thousands of European-led troops, backed by assistance from the U.S., including control and command systems and intelligence and surveillance assets, the report said. 

This arrangement was agreed at a meeting between US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and senior European leaders last month, it added.  

European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and von der Leyen are expected to gather in Paris on Thursday, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, to continue the high-level discussions on Ukraine, the FT reported, citing three diplomats briefed on the plans. 

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Von der Leyen also maintained that a second security guarantee after the war would have to take the shape of a strong Ukrainian army. To ensure this, she said, the EU “will have to chip in” to fund this army. 

She noted the importance for European armies to invest in drones, space and cyber capabilities and missile defense. 

“The role of the commission is paramount in enabling the member states to finance a surge in defense,” von der Leyen said.