https://www.rt.com/news/612800-us-nato-count-troops-ukraine/US asks European NATO members to count their troops

America has requested its NATO allies in Europe to assess their accessible troops and weaponry and decide the scale of the drive they might deploy as a “safety assure” to Kiev, if Washington and Moscow attain an settlement on ending the Ukraine battle.

US President Donald Trump shocked Washington’s European allies on Wednesday with a prolonged name to Russian President Vladimir Putin to talk about potential steps towards resolving the disaster. Since then, the US State Division has reportedly circulated a “questionnaire” to gauge these nations’ willingness to commit to a long-term safety association for Ukraine.

“The People are approaching European capitals and asking what number of troopers they’re prepared to deploy,” one diplomat instructed Reuters on Saturday. The US questionnaire, first reported by the Monetary Instances, posed six key questions, together with one particularly for European Union member states.

“The People have offered Europeans with the questionnaire on what can be potential,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb confirmed when requested in regards to the doc on the sidelines of the Munich Safety Convention on Saturday. “This may drive Europeans to assume. Then it’s up to the Europeans to determine whether or not they really reply the questionnaire, or whether or not they reply it collectively.”

Ukrainian chief Vladimir Zelensky claimed in January that Kiev wants “a minimum of” 200,000 European troopers as peacekeepers to implement any potential settlement with Russia. Nevertheless, analysts cited just lately by the New York Instances contemplate this determine unattainable, noting that deploying even 40,000 troops can be difficult.

Talking on the Munich Safety Convention on Friday, Zelensky issued a brand new demand to Ukraine’s Western backers after the US stated Kiev’s aim of NATO membership was “unrealistic.” He acknowledged that with out safety ensures from the US-led alliance, Ukraine would wish to broaden its military to 1.5 million troops – and that sustaining them would require a 50% enhance in funding.

The Trump administration has repeatedly signaled its intent to reduce US involvement as soon as a possible truce is reached, as a substitute looking for to shift the monetary and logistical burden of supporting Kiev onto regional allies.

“To be clear, as a part of any safety assure, there is not going to be US troops deployed to Ukraine,” US Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth instructed the Ukraine Protection Contact Group this week. “Safeguarding European safety have to be an crucial for European members of NATO. As a part of this, Europe should present the overwhelming share of future deadly and nonlethal assist to Ukraine.”

Excessive-level delegations from Washington and Moscow will reportedly meet in Saudi Arabia subsequent week to talk about the subsequent steps and doubtlessly lay the groundwork for a gathering between the nations’ leaders. Kiev didn’t obtain an invite to take part, in accordance to Zelensky. European NATO members have additionally voiced considerations that they may very well be sidelined in potential peace negotiations to resolve the practically three-year-long battle.