•Washington Seeks Clarity on Potential EU “Peacekeeping” Force Amid Shifting Strategy
The United States has formally asked its European NATO allies to assess their available military resources and determine the number of troops they could potentially deploy to Ukraine as part of a security guarantee for Kiev, should Washington and Moscow reach an agreement to end the ongoing conflict.
The request follows an unexpected phone call on Wednesday between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the two leaders reportedly discussed possible steps toward resolving the nearly three-year-long war.
In the wake of that conversation, the US State Department circulated a detailed “questionnaire” to European governments, gauging their willingness to commit to a long-term security arrangement for Ukraine.
US Push for European Military Contributions
According to diplomatic sources cited by Reuters on Saturday, Washington is actively inquiring about how many troops each European NATO member state is prepared to deploy.
The Financial Times was the first to report on the US questionnaire, which is said to contain six key questions, including one specifically directed at European Union nations.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb confirmed the existence of the questionnaire while attending the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
“The Americans have provided Europeans with the questionnaire on what would be possible,” he said.
“This will force Europeans to think. Then it’s up to the Europeans to decide whether they actually answer the questionnaire, or whether they answer it together.”
Ukraine’s Call for European Troop Deployment
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been vocal about the need for a substantial European military presence.
In January, he suggested that at least 200,000 European troops would be necessary to serve as peacekeepers in Ukraine.
However, military analysts cited by The New York Times have cast doubt on this figure, stating that even deploying 40,000 troops would present significant logistical challenges.
At the Munich Security Conference on Friday, Zelensky renewed his appeal for Western military and financial support.
After the US publicly acknowledged that Ukraine’s goal of NATO membership was currently “unrealistic,” Zelensky argued that Ukraine would need to expand its armed forces to 1.5 million troops to ensure its security.
He further stated that sustaining such a force would require a 50% increase in Western funding.
US Shifts Responsibility to European Allies
The Trump administration has repeatedly signaled its intention to reduce direct US involvement in the Ukraine conflict once a potential ceasefire is in place.
Instead, Washington is seeking to shift the financial and logistical burden onto its European allies.
“To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be US troops deployed to Ukraine,” US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group this week.
“Safeguarding European security must be an imperative for European members of NATO. As part of this, Europe must provide the overwhelming share of future lethal and nonlethal aid to Ukraine.”
This position has raised concerns among European NATO members, many of whom are already grappling with the financial and strategic implications of long-term support for Ukraine.
According to a recent Financial Times report, European leaders fear that Washington’s efforts to shift the burden of Ukraine’s defense could strain their own military capabilities and budgets.
US-Russia Talks Omit Ukraine, Raising European Concerns
Adding to the geopolitical uncertainty, high-level delegations from Washington and Moscow are set to meet in Saudi Arabia next week to discuss potential next steps in resolving the Ukraine conflict.
Notably, Ukraine has not been invited to participate in these discussions, a fact confirmed by Zelenskyy.
European NATO members have also expressed growing unease over the possibility of being sidelined in any US-Russia negotiations.
With Washington and Moscow potentially shaping the terms of a settlement without direct European or Ukrainian input, concerns are mounting over what concessions might be made—and at whose expense.
As diplomatic maneuvers continue, European leaders face a pressing decision: whether to commit troops and resources to Ukraine’s defense, and, if so, to what extent.
The coming weeks may prove crucial in determining the future of Europe’s role in the conflict—and whether NATO’s European members are willing or able to fill the void left by a potentially disengaging United States.
Share This Post