The Paris Defense and Strategy Forum Kicks Off
Flags of countries participating in the 2025 Paris Defense and Strategy Forum. X/ @CMichelW
March 11, 2025 Hour: 10:10 am
European Military Discusses How to Give Credibility to Ukraine in Peace Negotiations
On Tuesday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of 36 countries are taking part in the Paris Defense and Strategy Forum (PDSF) to discuss how to give credibility to Ukraine’s position in the face of potential peace negotiations. The PDSF includes representatives from European countries, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
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French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu emphasized that “we must project ourselves” and, in particular, “reflect on what the Ukrainian Army should be in the future” over the next 5, 10, and 15 years, as well as “how European armies can lend credibility to diplomatic discussions.”
In the inauguration of the second edition of the Forum, he also stressed the need to consider how Europe will defend its eastern flank if a country fails, in a clear allusion to the United States. The French minister referred to “a new element” in the scenario of the Ukrainian war, namely, “the unpredictability of our American friend,” due to the shift brought by Donald Trump.
Lecornu added that preparations must be made in case the U.S. withdrawal is not limited to Ukraine alone but also extends to the guarantees it has provided for decades to its other NATO partners.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans refused to speculate on a possible abandonment of the United States’ allies, as it has already done with Ukraine. He recalled that just a few weeks ago, U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth assured that for his country, NATO is “more important than ever.”
In any case, however, Brekelmans acknowledged that the security coverage provided by the United States to Europe cannot be taken for granted, and that “we must achieve peace through strength and alliances.” In his view, the actions decided in the coming days “will be crucial for the next five to ten years.”
Regarding the security guarantees that must be offered to Ukraine for a potential agreement, Brekelmans stated that Zelensky must be able to negotiate from a position of strength. “We are not at war with Russia, but Russia is at war with us,” he asserted.
France and the United Kingdom have put forward the idea of preparing a European interposition force, composed of at least 20,000 to 30,000 troops, which could be deployed in Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement to ensure that Russia does not attack again and to prevent a repeat of its violations of the 2014–2015 Minsk agreements.
So far, very few other countries, such as Denmark, have expressed willingness to be directly involved in such a deployment, particularly because the U.S. does not appear ready to provide a final guarantee.
Brekelmans specified that while the Netherlands wants to “be part of these discussions,” its final decision will depend on several conditions. He explained that it must be very clear what the mission and mandate would be and whether there would ultimately be U.S. support, especially given the risk of escalation.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
