Nato Coalition of the Willing Discusses Reassurance Force for Ukraine
Meeting at Nato Headquarters
Defence ministers from some 30 countries gathered in Brussels on Thursday to discuss a “reassurance force” for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in the war with Russia. The gathering at Nato headquarters was the latest in a series of meetings of the “coalition of the willing” of mainly European nations, led by Britain and France, on how they could cement peace if the US brokers a halt to the fighting.
Stepping Up as One
“Together we’re stepping up as one, ready to secure Ukraine’s future following any peace deal,” British defence secretary John Healey said at the start of the meeting. “We advance the momentum of that planning here today, planning to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, to protect its sovereignty and to deter any further Russian aggression.”
US Support and Assurances Needed
Many senior European officials assess that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in halting his invasion but they are keen to show US President Donald Trump that they are ready to play their part if his outreach to Moscow pays off. Trump has made clear he expects Europeans to secure any peace that may result from his administration’s talks. Ukraine has said it is ready to accept a ceasefire while Russia has said it needs answers to multiple questions before it can decide.
European nations say they are ready to step up but would likely need assurances that US forces would come to their aid and help with logistics and intelligence to deploy to Ukraine. Trump has so far declined to provide such assurances.
Clarity on Mission and Rules of Engagement Needed
Arriving at the meeting, several ministers said they needed more clarity on issues such as the precise mission of any reassurance force and its rules of engagement before they could decide whether to contribute troops. “I don’t exclude the possibility that Sweden is going to participate, but there’s a number of questions that we need to get clarified,” Swedish defence minister Pal Jonson said.
Dutch defence minister Ruben Brekelmans said it was important to discuss how a force would operate in different scenarios, such as any escalation by Russia, and how it might operate with a potential ceasefire monitoring force. “It’s important that there is a clear picture on what such a mission would entail, and then we can also have our national decision-making process,” he said.
Conclusion
The gathering at Nato headquarters marked the latest step in a series of meetings of the “coalition of the willing” of mainly European nations, led by Britain and France, on how they could cement peace if the US brokers a halt to the fighting. Despite the need for clarity on key issues, defence ministers from some 30 countries are ready to step up and secure Ukraine’s future following any peace deal.
FAQs
- What is the purpose of the Nato meeting?
- Defence ministers from some 30 countries gathered in Brussels to discuss a “reassurance force” for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in the war with Russia.
- Who is leading the coalition of the willing?
- The coalition is led by Britain and France.
- What is the goal of the reassurance force?
- The goal is to cement peace if the US brokers a halt to the fighting and to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, to protect its sovereignty and to deter any further Russian aggression.
- What is the current status of US support for the reassurance force?
- Trump has made clear he expects Europeans to secure any peace that may result from his administration’s talks, but has so far declined to provide assurances that US forces would come to their aid and help with logistics and intelligence to deploy to Ukraine.