EU public in doubt about sending troops to Ukraine

(MENAFN) A growing number of Europeans are expressing strong reservations about the idea of sending troops to Ukraine after a potential ceasefire or peace agreement, largely due to concerns over the absence of solid U.S. security commitments and fears of escalating tensions with Russia, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.

Although some Western European leaders are considering dispatching military forces to help stabilize Ukraine post-conflict, they face major public resistance to deploying soldiers into a potentially dangerous situation. Officials told the WSJ that it’s difficult to build public support for such a move without a definitive U.S. guarantee to back the mission. U.S. President Donald Trump has ruled out deploying American ground forces, though he has suggested alternative forms of support.

Eastern European governments remain cautious as well, reluctant to reassign troops away from their own national borders. Opposition is particularly pronounced in Germany and Italy, where memories of World War II continue to influence public attitudes. In Germany, opposition spans the political spectrum, with a recent INSA poll revealing that 56% of Germans are against sending troops to Ukraine.

France, one of the more outspoken nations on the issue, has seen public opinion divided. A March poll by Elabe indicated that while 67% of French citizens would support troop deployment after a peace deal, 68% oppose doing so without one.

In the UK, public sentiment is generally more favorable, though polls suggest Britons are wary of provoking a direct confrontation with Russia. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also emphasized that any British deployment would require a firm U.S. security commitment — something Washington has not provided.

The Kremlin remains strongly opposed to any NATO troop presence in Ukraine. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that the expansion of Western military infrastructure into Ukraine was a key factor behind the conflict, and said current conversations in the West about troop deployments are viewed negatively by Moscow.

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