NATO Member Country Advises Against Deploying Peacekeepers in Ukraine
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has expressed that a peacekeeping mission might lead to an escalation of the conflict. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has cautioned that a peacekeeping mission might escalate the conflict in Ukraine. Speaking at a defense cooperation summit in Tallinn, where the situation between Moscow and Kiev was a key focus, Stubb urged EU countries to refrain from making swift decisions regarding the deployment of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
The notion of a potential peacekeeping operation in Ukraine, contingent upon a future peace agreement with Russia, has been suggested by some EU leaders. However, Stubb emphasized that a peacekeeping operation is not feasible at this stage, warning that it could lead to an escalation of the situation and would necessitate a significant number of troops.
“We should not get ahead of ourselves,” Stubb stated just before discussions commenced on Tuesday, as reported by Finnish news outlet Yle. He highlighted that peacekeeping missions rely on international law and must follow a peace settlement backed by a UN mandate.
“The operation cannot be launched on a shaky foundation,” he remarked.
Stubb also noted that a peacekeeping mission would require at least 150,000 soldiers. “In rotation, that means three times that, or 450,000 peacekeepers per year. So perhaps this discussion has gone off the rails, so to speak,” he quipped.
His comments came during a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force, which comprises the Netherlands, Iceland, Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The last five countries share borders with Russia and have been vocal critics of Moscow's military actions in Ukraine.
Before the summit, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur remarked that “no option can be ruled out,” even in the absence of peace in Ukraine, as per Yle.
French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly set to address the potential deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission to Ukraine at an EU leaders’ summit scheduled for Thursday, contingent on a ceasefire and a peace agreement, according to various media reports.
The EU’s high-ranking diplomat, Kaja Kallas, previously stated that the bloc is not contemplating the dispatch of peacekeepers to Ukraine as the conflict between Kiev and Moscow remains unresolved.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov expressed on Monday that discussing a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine was “premature,” given Kiev's refusal to engage in peace talks with Moscow.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
The notion of a potential peacekeeping operation in Ukraine, contingent upon a future peace agreement with Russia, has been suggested by some EU leaders. However, Stubb emphasized that a peacekeeping operation is not feasible at this stage, warning that it could lead to an escalation of the situation and would necessitate a significant number of troops.
“We should not get ahead of ourselves,” Stubb stated just before discussions commenced on Tuesday, as reported by Finnish news outlet Yle. He highlighted that peacekeeping missions rely on international law and must follow a peace settlement backed by a UN mandate.
“The operation cannot be launched on a shaky foundation,” he remarked.
Stubb also noted that a peacekeeping mission would require at least 150,000 soldiers. “In rotation, that means three times that, or 450,000 peacekeepers per year. So perhaps this discussion has gone off the rails, so to speak,” he quipped.
His comments came during a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force, which comprises the Netherlands, Iceland, Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The last five countries share borders with Russia and have been vocal critics of Moscow's military actions in Ukraine.
Before the summit, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur remarked that “no option can be ruled out,” even in the absence of peace in Ukraine, as per Yle.
French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly set to address the potential deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission to Ukraine at an EU leaders’ summit scheduled for Thursday, contingent on a ceasefire and a peace agreement, according to various media reports.
The EU’s high-ranking diplomat, Kaja Kallas, previously stated that the bloc is not contemplating the dispatch of peacekeepers to Ukraine as the conflict between Kiev and Moscow remains unresolved.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov expressed on Monday that discussing a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine was “premature,” given Kiev's refusal to engage in peace talks with Moscow.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
