Zelensky says thousands of troops could be deployed to Ukraine under security guarantees
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Mr Volodymyr Zelensky said he had "coordinated steps" in Ukraine’s European Union accession talks with European Council President Antonio Costa.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
KYIV – President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept 5 that thousands of troops could be deployed to Ukraine under security guarantees proposed by its allies once Russia’s war on his country ends.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sept 4 that 26 countries had pledged to provide post-war security guarantee
Mr Macron initially said those countries would deploy to Ukraine, but later said some of them would provide guarantees while remaining outside Ukraine, for example by helping to train and equip Kyiv's forces.
“It is important that we are discussing all this... it will definitely be in the thousands, not just a few,” Mr Zelensky said after meeting European Council President Antonio Costa in Uzhhorod in western Ukraine on Sept 5.
He said in response to a journalist’s question that it was too early to comment on specifics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sept 5 that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Moscow to attack.
In Uzhhorod, Mr Zelensky said he had “coordinated steps” in Ukraine’s European Union accession talks with Costa.
Kyiv sees EU membership as key to its security and recovery after the war.
Mr Zelensky was also due to meet Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Sept 5.
Deputy energy minister Roman Andarak said in Copenhagen that Mr Zelensky was expected to discuss a phase-out of Russian oil deliveries via Ukraine with Mr Fico.
Slovakia is heavily reliant on supplies of oil from Russia via the Druzhba pipeline, whose infrastructure Ukrainian drones have attacked, causing repeated disruptions in supply that angered Bratislava.
Mr Fico met Mr Putin on Sept 2 in Beijing, and said Bratislava wants to normalise relations with Moscow.
Ukraine has urged other countries to stop buying Russian oil to deprive Moscow of funds for its war.
US President Donald Trump told European leaders on Sept 4 that they must stop purchasing Russian oil
