Yesterday afternoon, at 16:00 local time in Paris, the second informal meeting of heads of state and government took place, as leaders continued to explore ways to support Ukraine. The first such summit was held on Monday, 17 February. Like the previous one, the Élysée Palace did not schedule a final press conference, describing the discussions as “initial steps” aimed at consolidating a unified European position on security guarantees for Ukraine, according to the French president’s press office.
The first summit, which included France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Denmark, revealed that while urgency was high, it hasn’t translated into unity. Of all the participants, Paris has shown the strongest willingness to deploy peacekeepers to Ukraine and provide clear security guarantees. France is pushing the hardest for troop deployment, supported by its position as Europe’s second-largest army (204,000 troops), its nuclear capabilities, and its extensive experience with military operations abroad.
France’s diplomatic service believes sending European forces to Ukraine could help establish lasting peace and allow Europe to take more responsibility for its own security.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he’s open to “considering the possibility of deploying British forces on the ground alongside others, if a long-term peace agreement is reached,” but only with Washington’s approval. Other leaders have taken a more cautious approach, with some, like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, seeming more perplexed by the idea.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed discomfort with the summit format, feeling it “excluded many countries that would be at risk if the war were to spread,” according to Le Monde. She arrived 45 minutes late on Monday, emotionally pressed for “genuine security guarantees” for Ukraine, but stopped short of committing Italy to the peacekeeping force that Emmanuel Macron envisions.
Meanwhile, the Dutch government has recently stated it could “contribute” to a potential peacekeeping battalion—but only under a “clear mandate and with U.S. backing.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez have adopted a particularly cautious stance on the issue. Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk made clear he wouldn’t want Polish troops involved in a mission on Ukrainian soil, a position likely influenced by Poland’s upcoming presidential elections. Scholz appears to be navigating a similar political landscape, opting for restraint.
According to certain scenarios outlined in Paris, maintaining the front line between Russian and Ukrainian forces would require just 25,000 troops—significantly fewer than the 200,000 requested by Volodymyr Zelensky, Le Monde reports. Some suggest that France could contribute at least one brigade, comprising between 5,000 and 8,000 soldiers. This would be similar to the number of troops France deployed for Operation Barkhane in the Sahel between 2014 and 2022.
French media highlight that deploying such a force carries the risk of disrupting NATO’s “military plans,” which were approved under U.S. leadership at the Washington summit in July 2024. These plans outline the scale of forces already stationed along the alliance’s eastern flank, including in the Baltic states, Romania, and Poland.
Le Monde explains that alternative scenarios are being considered, such as sending two separate military coalitions. One could involve non-European peacekeeping forces or troops from countries more sympathetic to Russia, while the other would operate independently of a ceasefire. The risk, however, lies in the fact that the weaker the peacekeeping forces, the greater the chance they could become targets of Russian provocations.
As things stand, the prospect of deploying “blue helmets” along the front line remains uncertain. There’s no guarantee that Europeans will secure a leading role in the ongoing negotiations about Ukraine’s future, which, for now, are being led separately by the U.S. and Russia. Yet, as always, hope dies last, and Macron is working tirelessly to change the course of events.
