PARIS (AP) — Military officials from more than 30 nations will take part in Paris talks on the creation of an international security force for Ukraine, a French military official said Monday.
Such an international force would aim to dissuade Russia from launching another offensive after any ceasefire in Ukraine comes into effect.
The long list of participants in Tuesday's discussions will also include Asian and Oceania nations that will join remotely, the French official said. The international makeup of the meeting offers an indication of how broadly France and Britain — which are working together on plans for the force — are casting their net as they aim to build what the French official described as a coalition of nations “able and willing” to be part of an effort to safeguard Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.
The French military official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the blueprint for the force that is shrouded in secrecy and the Paris talks that will consider it.
The force being envisaged by France and Britain would aim to reassure Ukraine and deter another large-scale Russian offensive after any ceasefire, the official said. It could include heavy weaponry and weapons stockpiles that could be rushed within hours or days to aid in Ukraine’s defense in the event of a Russian attack that shatters any truce, the official said.
The French-British blueprint will be presented to military officials from more than 30 nations in the first part of Tuesday’s talks, the official said.
The talks’ second part will include “more precise and concrete” discussions where the participants will be invited to say whether and how their militaries might be able to contribute, the official said.
“It’s not, ‘This is what we need,’” the official said. “It’s more, ‘What are you bringing to the pot?’”
The official stressed, however, that the ultimate decision on whether nations take part in the force would be taken at a political level, by government leaders.
Chiefs of staff — or, in Canada’s case, their representative — from nearly all of the 32 nations of the NATO military alliance will attend the Paris discussions. Three NATO nations will be absent. They are Croatia and Montenegro, which were invited but didn't respond, and the United States, the official said.
The official said the United States wasn't invited because European nations want to demonstrate that they can take responsibility for a large part of the post-ceasefire security framework for Ukraine.
Also attending will be the chiefs of staff of Ireland and Cyprus and a representative from Austria — all nations that are not NATO members but are in the European Union.
Australia and New Zealand, which are Commonwealth nations, as well as Japan and South Korea, will listen into the talks remotely, the official said.
Ukraine will be represented by a military official who is also a member of the country’s security and defense council.
John Leicester, The Associated Press
