International UN expects talks on possible Ukraine peacekeeping mission
The United Nations is expecting talks on a possible peacekeeping mission for Ukraine. There are as yet no plans for a mission, said Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix in Brussels.
25.03.2025, 11:32
SDA
However, it is to be expected that the option of sending UN peacekeeping troops to monitor a possible future ceasefire will be discussed with him.
Lacroix pointed out that there would first have to be an agreement for a ceasefire and a mandate from the UN Security Council for concrete planning. This means that Russia would also have to agree to this. At the moment, the scenario is still very, very hypothetical, Lacroix emphasized. He also emphasized that monitoring a ceasefire is no guarantee of security.
According to the German Press Agency, the so-called "coalition of the willing" recently discussed a multi-layered security concept to monitor a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. According to the report, the Western supporting states are considering monitoring a possible demilitarized zone on the border between Russia and Ukraine, primarily from the air and with the help of technical means such as satellites and drones. In addition, naval units could be deployed to monitor freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.
A peacekeeping force in the true sense of the word would possibly be mobilized via the United Nations and consist exclusively of soldiers from impartial third countries. European armed forces could then be stationed on Ukraine's western border and offer training programs for Ukrainian partners, for example. The overarching security guarantor would be the nuclear superpower USA.
Macron expects partners to attend summit in Paris
The background to the plans is US President Donald Trump's attempts to force Ukraine and Russia to conclude a ceasefire agreement. In this context, many Europeans fear that Ukraine in particular would have to make concessions and that the country could soon fall victim to another Russian attack without credible security guarantees.
France and the UK have therefore been working together with other countries that support Ukraine on a concept for such security guarantees for some time. According to current plans, it is to be finalized next Thursday at a summit meeting of the so-called "Coalition of the Willing" in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron has also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the summit.
