President Volodymyr Zelensky noted the need to deploy at least 200,000 European peacekeepers to prevent a new Russian invasion after the conclusion of the ceasefire agreement fire.
The head of state stated this on January 21 during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
How many peacekeepers will Ukraine need
When asked about the possibility of deploying peacekeeping missions in Ukraine after the end of the war, the head of state responded:
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– From all over Europe? 200 thousand is the minimum. This is the minimum, otherwise it is nothing.
Zelensky stressed that the peacekeeping contingent will be only part of the overall package of security guarantees that Ukraine needs.
The President also said that the Russian side will likely put forward a demand to reduce the size of the Ukrainian army by five times.
According to Zelensky, this could become a key point in future negotiations with the Russian Federation on resolving the conflict.
“If we were able to create an army of more than 800 thousand, then we, together with Europe, are a force capable of not only defending ourselves, but also resisting Putin,” the head of state explained.
He added that Ukraine would not agree to such conditions.
“This is his (Putin’s – ed.) goal. But we will not allow this,” the president emphasized.
Recall that at the forum in Davos, Zelensky also stated that Ukraine seeks to end the war with Russia in 2025.
However, the ceasefire must be reliable and fair: Ukrainians must return home, live in safety and restore peaceful life.
By the way, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will soon visit Ukraine.
During the meeting with the Ukrainian side, the possibility of deploying an international peacekeeping contingent after the end of the conflict with RF.
