French and Polish leaders will meet Thursday to discuss Ukraine, including the possibility of deploying European troops as a security guarantee if a peace deal with Russia is reached.
European powers aim to demonstrate to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration, their commitment to ending the nearly three-year war in Ukraine.
Trump has emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations while criticizing European allies who fail to meet NATO’s 2% defense spending target.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a strong supporter of Ukraine, will host French President Emmanuel Macron in Warsaw for the talks.
“Ukraine will be top of the agenda when the two leaders meet and how to make sure that it is able to resist and be in the best position to negotiate (with Russia),” a French diplomatic source said.
Diplomats indicated that one discussion point is sending European troops to Ukraine to act as a bilateral security guarantee.
This would address the unlikelihood of Ukraine joining NATO soon while demonstrating Europe’s willingness to engage directly with security efforts.
France and Britain discussed this idea last month, and similar talks have occurred between Ukraine, Baltic, and Scandinavian nations.
However, there is no consensus among European countries.
“The idea would be to create a coalition of 5–8 European countries … very determined to act,” a source said.
Germany previously opposed Macron’s February suggestion to send troops.
Non-combat roles, such as training and demining, were proposed but never implemented.
A senior European official stressed the importance of European military participation, stating, “When the war ends, Europe will still face a threat from Russia.”
Finance and foreign ministers from France, Germany, and Poland will also meet Thursday to discuss strengthening military and financial support for Ukraine and bolstering European defense funding.
A Polish source noted resistance to joint defense financing has eased since Trump’s election, pushing allies to step up.