Meeting in Brussels
“Coalition of the willing” is planning for ceasefire in Ukraine
In Brussels, Defense Minister of the “Coalition of the Willing” now advised on a possible mission in Ukraine. Many questions are still open.
The so -called coalition of the willing by Great Britain and France has confirmed its willingness to secure a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. “We are ready to secure the future of Ukraine after a peace agreement,” said British Defense Minister John Healey on Thursday at a meeting of the group’s Minister of Defense in Brussels. However, there is still great unclear about what a possible mission in Ukraine could look like.
“We are driving this planning ahead,” said Healey. His ministry had previously stated that at the meeting in Brussels, the “operational talks to plan a multinational intervention group” would continue to secure peace in Ukraine.
Among other things, the participants should be informed about how many soldiers and what skills would be needed for such a mission. The French and the British army chief traveled to Kiev in early April to discuss with the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj about a possible use of international troops.
“Willing” want to strengthen Ukraine
The EU foreign commissioner Kaja Kallas argued that it first had to be clarified “what kind of protection we really need”. The discussion is about “whether it is an observation mission, a deterrent mission, peace mission, reinforcement mission or a defense mission”.
From the Cold War to the present: the history of NATO in pictures
April 4, 1949
Ten Western European countries, the United States and Canada found NATO in Washington to counter the threat of the Soviet Union. They commit to mutual assistance in the event of an attack (“alliance case”). The Alliance is gradually being expanded in the following years. In the photo: The representatives of the participating countries during the solemn signature ceremony on April 4, 1949 in Washington DC
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Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans said it depends on the destination of the mission, which resources would be needed. The Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkänen emphasized that the main focus must be on “the fact that the Ukrainian armed forces are now primarily strengthened”.
Reaction to scandal in the White House
The “coalition of the willing” was launched in March after the scandal between US President Donald Trump and the Ukrainian head of state Wolodymyr Selenskyj at their meeting in the White House. In the group, which counts around 30 countries, together with representatives of NATO and the EU, but without the participation of Washington, especially the possible contributions in Europe to ceasefire and peacekeeping in Ukraine are discussed.
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However, many participants agreed that there was only possible protection of peace in Ukraine in cooperation with the United States. “I think it is really important to have the USA on board,” said Dutch Defense Minister Brekelmans.
“We can do a lot ourselves”
His Latvian colleague Andris Spruds argued: “We can do a lot ourselves.” Formats in which the USA sit at the table, such as the Ukraine contact group (UDGC), should remain “preserved”.
The UDGC in Ramstein format will also come together in Brussels on Friday. Then the executive Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) will also be there in the NATO headquarters. He had canceled his participation in the Brussels meeting of the coalition of the willing after the presentation of the coalition agreement on Wednesday. In his place, Inspector Carsten Breuer took part.
USA only take part virtually
The United States has withdrawn from the management of the contact group since Trump took office, which is why Germany and Great Britain invited to the meeting on Friday. US defense minister Pete Hegseth will participate virtually. While the meeting on Thursday was primarily about peacekeeping, further military aid for Ukraine is to be discussed on Friday.
The negotiations on an ceasefire in Ukraine, which started by the US government in February, have recently stalled. The fights are on the meantime. The Russian army reported the conquest of another village in the northeastern tank region of Sumy. Russian soldiers had “liberated” the village of Schurawka, the army said.
The Ukraine reported massive nightly Russian drone attacks. As the Ukrainian Air Force explained, 85 of the 145 drones could be fended off. Several people were injured in attacks on the capital Kiev and the south of the country as well as in the Central Lucrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk.
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Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
