Trump Urges EU to Deploy Troops to Ukraine, according to WSJ
The US president-elect is said to anticipate that his allies will deploy peacekeepers, though not through a NATO mission. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
**A Rumored Ceasefire Proposal Would Exclude US Troops**
US President-elect Donald Trump has suggested that European Union members send peacekeepers to Ukraine to oversee a potential ceasefire with Russia, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, which cites sources familiar with the situation.
During his campaign for the presidency, Trump pledged to negotiate a quick resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, yet he has been hesitant to provide specific details regarding his proposal since his election victory.
In discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky last Saturday, Trump indicated that "Europe" should take the lead in monitoring a ceasefire, emphasizing that no US troops would be deployed, according to the Journal's sources who were informed about the meeting.
According to these sources, the idea for the proposal "started as quiet discussions between British and French officials about the possibility" before it expanded to include Trump, Zelensky, and other nations.
One source mentioned that Trump also encouraged the EU to persuade China to exert pressure on Russia to bring the conflict to an end, suggesting the possibility of using tariffs as leverage.
The Journal noted that discussions are still in the preliminary stages, with unresolved questions regarding which countries would participate, how many troops would be involved, and any potential US involvement in supporting the mission.
The proposed peacekeeping or monitoring operation in Ukraine would not operate under NATO's command but would involve troops from member countries of the US-led coalition, according to unnamed officials, who acknowledged uncertainty about whether Russia would accept this arrangement.
Additionally, it remains uncertain whether Washington's European allies could provide the necessary personnel or if there would be sufficient political backing at home for such a mission. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has invited the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland to meet with Zelensky in Brussels to discuss security assurances for Kiev, as reported by two officials.
However, unnamed aides indicated that Trump is not “wedded” to any specific plan for resolving the conflict and “hasn’t thought deeply about the issue” while preparing for the transition of power on January 20.
Russia has consistently maintained that Ukraine's ties with NATO pose a threat to its national security. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has labeled Ukraine's potential membership in the alliance as “categorically unacceptable” to Moscow, pointing to it as one of the key triggers of the current conflict.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
US President-elect Donald Trump has suggested that European Union members send peacekeepers to Ukraine to oversee a potential ceasefire with Russia, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, which cites sources familiar with the situation.
During his campaign for the presidency, Trump pledged to negotiate a quick resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, yet he has been hesitant to provide specific details regarding his proposal since his election victory.
In discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky last Saturday, Trump indicated that "Europe" should take the lead in monitoring a ceasefire, emphasizing that no US troops would be deployed, according to the Journal's sources who were informed about the meeting.
According to these sources, the idea for the proposal "started as quiet discussions between British and French officials about the possibility" before it expanded to include Trump, Zelensky, and other nations.
One source mentioned that Trump also encouraged the EU to persuade China to exert pressure on Russia to bring the conflict to an end, suggesting the possibility of using tariffs as leverage.
The Journal noted that discussions are still in the preliminary stages, with unresolved questions regarding which countries would participate, how many troops would be involved, and any potential US involvement in supporting the mission.
The proposed peacekeeping or monitoring operation in Ukraine would not operate under NATO's command but would involve troops from member countries of the US-led coalition, according to unnamed officials, who acknowledged uncertainty about whether Russia would accept this arrangement.
Additionally, it remains uncertain whether Washington's European allies could provide the necessary personnel or if there would be sufficient political backing at home for such a mission. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has invited the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland to meet with Zelensky in Brussels to discuss security assurances for Kiev, as reported by two officials.
However, unnamed aides indicated that Trump is not “wedded” to any specific plan for resolving the conflict and “hasn’t thought deeply about the issue” while preparing for the transition of power on January 20.
Russia has consistently maintained that Ukraine's ties with NATO pose a threat to its national security. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has labeled Ukraine's potential membership in the alliance as “categorically unacceptable” to Moscow, pointing to it as one of the key triggers of the current conflict.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
