The Estonian Foreign Minister mentions the presence of European ground forces from all EU countries as a guarantee of peace in Ukraine.
In short, elite ground units from European countries will be requested to be deployed as a “buffer” against the Russians in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. At the same time, warships will likely be called to patrol the Black Sea, ensuring Trump-style peace with Russia.
“European troops are the next best thing to NATO membership to guarantee Ukraine’s security.”
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"We cannot wait for whatever the U.S. decides," stated the Estonian Foreign Minister to politico.
"European leaders must be prepared to send military forces to secure any Russia-Ukraine peace agreement brokered by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
While NATO membership for Kyiv would be the best security guarantee," said [Urmas] Tsahkna, "the deployment of EU troops in Ukraine is a necessary step to ensure an agreement, which might be the next best thing."
"If we’re talking about real security guarantees, it means there will be a fair peace. Then, we’re talking about NATO membership," he stated in an interview with the Financial Times published on Tuesday.
"But without the U.S., it's impossible. And then we're talking about some form [of guarantee] in terms of military forces being present on the ground," he added.
Trump has also pledged to establish a swift peace agreement once he takes office in January, raising fears that such an agreement might be unfair to Kyiv.
The Estonian Foreign Minister expressed doubt that Trump would truly withdraw from NATO, stating that leaving Europe to Russia is not in the U.S.'s interests.
However, Europeans must step up their defense spending, he emphasized, urging other countries to follow Estonia’s example by increasing taxes to fund higher defense budgets.
Estonia, one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters, spends 3.4 percent of its GDP on defense, the second highest in the transatlantic military alliance after Poland. "We cannot wait for whatever the U.S. decides," Tsahkna said
Greece and the Possibility of Future Involvement in Ukraine
Our country sent troops to Ukraine back in 1919 to support the Tsarist regime alongside France, under significant pressure (even French soldiers mutinied), while being accused by the Soviets.
The immediate outcome was that the Soviets supported Kemal Atatürk with thousands of gold coins, hundreds of heavy artillery pieces, firearms, and, most importantly, ammunition, significantly aiding his campaign against the Greek army in Asia Minor.
Fast forward to today, Greece must weigh the pros and cons of participating if and when peace is established in Ukraine, especially as Turkey lurks in the Aegean, ready to impose faits accomplis against us.
Most importantly, Athens, even now, after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, could take the initiative and lead efforts to achieve peace in the region.
The "right side of history" entails a clear stance from Greece in favor of peace in Ukraine, as Europe and the Balkans—our homeland included—are directly threatened by this devastating conflict.
