It will be premature to commit troops deployment in Ukraine: Slovakian president

Published February 20,2025

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The Slovakian president on Thursday didn’t rule out the deployment of troops in Ukraine however mentioned it will be “premature” to make any dedication as uncertainty concerning the ensures to make sure the sustainability of such a measure remained.

“It is premature to suggest that some European armies or soldiers from countries in which I am interested should be stationed in Ukraine,” mentioned President Peter Pellegrini at a joint news convention with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte within the Slovak capital of Bratislava.

He emphasised that the mandatory circumstances have to be met first and that there’s nonetheless some uncertainty concerning the ensures that may make sure the sustainability of such a measure.

“It is not in the Slovak Republic’s best interests to reach an agreement for a limited time, regroup its resources, and make the country more stable, only to witness the ongoing military conflict in a few years,” Pellegrini mentioned.

He additionally emphasised the significance of reaching a settlement given their proximity to the Ukrainian border, reaffirming Slovakia’s function within the seek for a “long-term, sustainable solution.”

Leaders from a number of main European nations met in Paris on Monday at French President Emmanuel Macron’s invitation to debate transatlantic relations, the state of affairs in Ukraine, potential peace talks, and European safety.

US-European relations have grown tense after President Donald Trump initiated direct discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Ukraine peace talks, excluding European leaders.

At the Munich Security Conference over the weekend, Keith Kellogg, Trump’s particular envoy for Russia and Ukraine, confirmed that Europeans wouldn’t be invited to deliberate US-Russia talks on Ukraine peace.

Adding to the stress, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth prompt that European nations, quite than the US, ought to present peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. He emphasised that any such deployment needs to be non-NATO and wouldn’t be lined underneath Article 5 of NATO’s collective protection clause, stressing that US troops wouldn’t be concerned in any safety ensures.