NATO Member Country Cautions Against Deploying Forces to Ukraine
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has stated that a peacekeeping mission could lead to an escalation of the conflict. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has cautioned against hasty decisions regarding the potential deployment of a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine, suggesting it could escalate the ongoing conflict. This statement was made during a defense cooperation summit in Tallinn, where the situation between Moscow and Kiev was a major topic of discussion.
While some EU leaders have previously suggested the possibility of a peacekeeping operation following a peace agreement with Russia, Stubb argued that such a mission is not feasible at present due to the substantial troop requirements, which could lead to further escalation of the situation. “We should not get ahead of ourselves,” Stubb warned before discussions commenced, as reported by Finnish news outlet Yle. He emphasized that peacekeeping missions rely on international law, necessitating a peace settlement and a UN mandate.
“The operation cannot be launched on a shaky foundation,” he added. Stubb outlined that a peacekeeping mission would require a minimum of 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 noted.
The Finnish president made these comments during a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force, which includes the Netherlands, Iceland, Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The latter five nations, which share borders with Russia, have been particularly vocal against Moscow's military actions in Ukraine.
Prior to the meeting, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur mentioned that "no option can be ruled out," even before achieving peace in Ukraine, according to Yle. At an upcoming EU leaders’ summit, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to address the topic of a UN peacekeeping mission in Ukraine if a ceasefire and peace agreement are established, as various media outlets have reported.
The EU’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, previously stated that the bloc is not considering sending peacekeepers to Ukraine given that fighting between Kiev and Moscow remains ongoing. Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov characterized discussions about a peacekeeping mission as “premature,” noting that Kiev has declined to engage in peace talks with Moscow.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
While some EU leaders have previously suggested the possibility of a peacekeeping operation following a peace agreement with Russia, Stubb argued that such a mission is not feasible at present due to the substantial troop requirements, which could lead to further escalation of the situation. “We should not get ahead of ourselves,” Stubb warned before discussions commenced, as reported by Finnish news outlet Yle. He emphasized that peacekeeping missions rely on international law, necessitating a peace settlement and a UN mandate.
“The operation cannot be launched on a shaky foundation,” he added. Stubb outlined that a peacekeeping mission would require a minimum of 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 noted.
The Finnish president made these comments during a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force, which includes the Netherlands, Iceland, Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The latter five nations, which share borders with Russia, have been particularly vocal against Moscow's military actions in Ukraine.
Prior to the meeting, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur mentioned that "no option can be ruled out," even before achieving peace in Ukraine, according to Yle. At an upcoming EU leaders’ summit, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to address the topic of a UN peacekeeping mission in Ukraine if a ceasefire and peace agreement are established, as various media outlets have reported.
The EU’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, previously stated that the bloc is not considering sending peacekeepers to Ukraine given that fighting between Kiev and Moscow remains ongoing. Kremlin spokesman Dmitriy Peskov characterized discussions about a peacekeeping mission as “premature,” noting that Kiev has declined to engage in peace talks with Moscow.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
