President Trump has signaled support for providing security guarantees to Ukraine alongside French and British proposals for a “reassurance force.” Although Northern European nations including the Netherlands, Denmark, and Estonia have expressed readiness to contribute troops, ambitious plans for a 30,000-strong force have been scaled back. France and the UK now plan a combined 6,000–10,000 troops, The Wall Street Journal reported on August 26.
However, public opinion in many European countries remains cautious. In Germany, for example, 56% of respondents opposed a military contribution, while parliament approval would be required for any deployment. Concerns include stretching military resources and historical sensitivities, The Wall Street Journal writes.
Eastern European countries such as Poland worry about diverting troops from their borders, and opposition is also strong in Italy and Germany.
In France, support depends on a formal peace accord rather than a temporary ceasefire, with surveys showing 67% approval if a peace deal is reached. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that troops would be stationed at airports and critical infrastructure, avoiding front-line combat.
The UK has said deployment would depend on US guarantees and would likely focus on maritime and air support, as well as training Ukrainian forces, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Populist leaders across the continent, including Italy’s Matteo Salvini, have criticized the proposals, and Poland has ruled out sending forces, citing risks of escalation on its borders, The Wall Street Journal claims.
European leaders argue that a limited deployment is vital to demonstrate commitment to Ukraine and deter further Russian aggression, but public and political hesitancy may limit the scale and scope of any operation.
Previously, it was reported that The United States is prepared to play a role in ensuring Ukraine’s security after the war by providing intelligence, surveillance, and air defense support, Financial Times reported.
BlueEmma25 on August 28th, 2025 at 04:27 UTC »
This article plagiarizes Wall Street Journal reporting, and doesn't even have the decency to link to the original report, which can be found here.
The headline is misleading, though the language used by the WSJ itself is problematic. The original WSJ report says:
So 6000 - 10 000 is the possible size of the combined British and French contribution, without counting contributions by any other countries. There is as yet no agreement on the final size of the force. Contrary to what the article implies, the force size has not been fixed to the anticipated size of the British and French contributions alone.
SenseAintThatCommon on August 28th, 2025 at 02:45 UTC »
It really is astounding to see all the walk-back and quibbling with regard to European defense. They're still having issues with committing to troops and resources, prolonging all the issues with the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Another day will go by, little will be agreed to, less will be done. It is in many ways, disappointing.
Themetalin on August 28th, 2025 at 01:56 UTC »
President Trump has signaled support for providing security guarantees to Ukraine alongside French and British proposals for a “reassurance force.” Although Northern European nations including the Netherlands, Denmark, and Estonia have expressed readiness to contribute troops, ambitious plans for a 30,000-strong force have been scaled back. France and the UK now plan a combined 6,000–10,000 troops, The Wall Street Journal reported on August 26.