Russia has declared that a Western military presence in Ukraine is unacceptable as part of any potential peace agreement.
European nations supporting Kiev are reportedly proposing that the United States supervise a buffer zone between Russia and Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached, potentially deploying ground troops from non-NATO countries like Bangladesh or Saudi Arabia, NBC News reported Friday, citing unidentified sources.
The report detailed that Washington’s involvement would involve using drones, satellites, and other intelligence assets to oversee the situation and coordinate with the participating states. Moscow, for its part, has consistently opposed the deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine as part of any peace resolution.
Politico had earlier put forth a similar buffer zone proposition, mentioning the involvement of unnamed third-party countries and suggesting that French and British soldiers might form a substantial part of the contingent. A former Pentagon official commented to the publication that this scheme showed Kiev’s European supporters were “grasping at straws.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday reaffirmed Moscow’s opposition, asserting that foreign troops would either become targets for Russian forces amidst hostilities or be without purpose if a true peace deal materialized. He also noted that “the West’s push to bring Ukraine into NATO was among the causes of the conflict” and stated that any resolution must include security guarantees for both Russia and Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky met on Tuesday with members of the “coalition of the willing,” which is the group of countries providing Kiev with arms and pledging security commitments if a resolution with Russia is reached. Most of these nations have openly dismissed the idea of deploying their own troops on the ground.
Concurrently, Moscow has declared its intention to create its own buffer zone along portions of the border to safeguard Russian civilians, particularly in the Kursk and Bryansk areas. Putin had stated in May that Ukrainian forces commonly target non-military assets, including residences and civilian vehicles such as ambulances and farming equipment, which he claimed made such actions imperative.