US Requests European NATO Nations to Tally Their Military Personnel
The United States has requested that its NATO allies in Europe assess the potential size of the military force they can commit as a “security guarantee” to Kiev. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
**Washington Seeks Clarity on Potential EU "Peacekeeping" Deployment to Ukraine**
The United States has requested that its NATO allies in Europe evaluate their available military resources and assess the potential scale of a force that could serve as a "security guarantee" for Kiev, contingent on a potential agreement between Washington and Moscow to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump surprised European allies by engaging in a protracted discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding possible avenues for addressing the crisis. Following this exchange, the US State Department is said to have circulated a “questionnaire” intended to determine these countries' readiness to commit to a long-term security framework for Ukraine.
“The Americans are approaching European capitals and asking how many soldiers they are ready to deploy,” a diplomat told Reuters on Saturday. The US questionnaire, first disclosed by the Financial Times, includes six pivotal questions, with one directed specifically at European Union member nations.
“Americans have provided Europeans with the questionnaire on what would be possible,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb affirmed when queried about the document during the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. “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.”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky previously stated in January that Kiev requires “at least” 200,000 European soldiers to act as peacekeepers, ensuring compliance with any future agreements with Russia. However, analysts cited by the New York Times have deemed this figure unrealistic, emphasizing that even the deployment of 40,000 troops would pose significant challenges.
During the Munich Security Conference on Friday, Zelensky reiterated his requests to Ukraine's Western supporters after the US labeled Kiev’s aspirations for NATO membership as “unrealistic.” He argued that, in the absence of security guarantees from the US-led alliance, Ukraine would need to bolster its military to 1.5 million troops, necessitating a 50% increase in funding to sustain such a force.
The Trump administration has consistently indicated a desire to reduce US involvement in the region once a potential ceasefire is established, preferring to transfer the financial and logistical responsibilities of aiding Kiev to nearby 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 remarked to 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.”
High-ranking delegations from Washington and Moscow are expected to convene in Saudi Arabia next week to map out subsequent steps and possibly set the stage for a meeting between the leaders of the two nations. Zelensky has indicated that Kiev was not invited to participate in these discussions. Additionally, European NATO members have expressed worries about being excluded from potential peace talks aimed at resolving the nearly three-year-old conflict.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
The United States has requested that its NATO allies in Europe evaluate their available military resources and assess the potential scale of a force that could serve as a "security guarantee" for Kiev, contingent on a potential agreement between Washington and Moscow to resolve the Ukraine conflict.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump surprised European allies by engaging in a protracted discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding possible avenues for addressing the crisis. Following this exchange, the US State Department is said to have circulated a “questionnaire” intended to determine these countries' readiness to commit to a long-term security framework for Ukraine.
“The Americans are approaching European capitals and asking how many soldiers they are ready to deploy,” a diplomat told Reuters on Saturday. The US questionnaire, first disclosed by the Financial Times, includes six pivotal questions, with one directed specifically at European Union member nations.
“Americans have provided Europeans with the questionnaire on what would be possible,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb affirmed when queried about the document during the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. “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.”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky previously stated in January that Kiev requires “at least” 200,000 European soldiers to act as peacekeepers, ensuring compliance with any future agreements with Russia. However, analysts cited by the New York Times have deemed this figure unrealistic, emphasizing that even the deployment of 40,000 troops would pose significant challenges.
During the Munich Security Conference on Friday, Zelensky reiterated his requests to Ukraine's Western supporters after the US labeled Kiev’s aspirations for NATO membership as “unrealistic.” He argued that, in the absence of security guarantees from the US-led alliance, Ukraine would need to bolster its military to 1.5 million troops, necessitating a 50% increase in funding to sustain such a force.
The Trump administration has consistently indicated a desire to reduce US involvement in the region once a potential ceasefire is established, preferring to transfer the financial and logistical responsibilities of aiding Kiev to nearby 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 remarked to 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.”
High-ranking delegations from Washington and Moscow are expected to convene in Saudi Arabia next week to map out subsequent steps and possibly set the stage for a meeting between the leaders of the two nations. Zelensky has indicated that Kiev was not invited to participate in these discussions. Additionally, European NATO members have expressed worries about being excluded from potential peace talks aimed at resolving the nearly three-year-old conflict.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
