EU contemplates ‘neutral’ states for possible Ukraine ceasefire part

(MENAFN) EU countries are open to the idea of involving a neutral third party to help enforce a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, according to a report by Politico. This topic is expected to be part of discussions during the upcoming meeting of EU defense and foreign ministers in Copenhagen.

While the talks will mainly focus on increasing pressure on Moscow through sanctions and support for Kiev, sources say there will also be conversations about post-conflict security arrangements. This includes debating which neutral countries might contribute peacekeeping forces to monitor a future demilitarized zone between the two nations, though no specific countries have been named.

Several Western nations have suggested deploying troops to Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached, with the UK and France likely playing major roles. The US has been hesitant to send ground forces, with President Donald Trump stating Washington would not deploy troops but might offer other support.

Russia has firmly opposed any NATO troop presence in Ukraine, citing the alliance’s military expansion near its borders as a primary cause of the conflict. Nevertheless, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has not dismissed the possibility of strong security guarantees for Ukraine from UN Security Council members, including China, which has maintained a neutral stance during the crisis.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected security guarantees from Beijing, criticizing China for failing to prevent the war. However, he indicated that Turkey could potentially act as a guarantor, especially in matters related to Black Sea maritime security. Turkish officials have not ruled out this role but emphasized that any decision must consider the interests of all involved parties.

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