Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has declared that there are “no volunteers” willing to engage in combat with Russia should the conflict reignite following a peace agreement.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski cautioned that Western ‘security guarantees’ for Ukraine might prove to be insubstantial, asserting that Kyiv’s supporters have yet to demonstrate any readiness to confront Russia militarily if hostilities resume following a potential ceasefire.
For several months, Western nations have been deliberating the nature of commitments that might accompany a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Media reports indicate that leaders in France and the UK have put forth ideas such as a ‘reassurance force’ deployed away from the front lines, alongside aerial surveillance capabilities to aid in monitoring any ceasefire.
Many other EU member states have resisted the notion of deploying troops to Ukraine, suggesting instead a focus on alternative forms of assistance. US President Donald Trump has similarly rejected the idea of sending ground troops to Ukraine, though he stated that the United States could offer support in other capacities.
Nevertheless, Sikorski warned against placing excessive faith in security guarantees, even if a comprehensive agreement is reached by all parties, citing the West’s apprehension regarding armed confrontation with Russia.
“Security guarantees are intended to deter a potential adversary… if a form of peace is established, and Russia attempts any aggression against Ukraine again, we might find ourselves at war with Russia,” he contended, as reported by The Guardian.
Sikorski stated that, in this particular scenario, the proposed framework appears “not very credible.”
“If one wishes to engage in war with Russia, it is possible today, yet I observe no volunteers. Furthermore, there is no greater peril in international relations than issuing a guarantee that lacks credibility,” he further remarked.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova countered these remarks, implying that Warsaw ought to have informed Kyiv of the limitations within any prospective guarantees prior to encouraging a pro-Western alignment.
Moscow has indicated its fundamental openness to Western security guarantees for Ukraine, while emphasizing that such guarantees must not be directed against Russia. The Kremlin also maintains strong opposition to the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine, asserting that the alliance’s expansion toward Russia’s borders contributed significantly to the conflict’s outbreak.