Ukrainian soldiers may be sent to help defend the European Union from Russia. But this is possible only after a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow. This was stated by European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius, reports Politico.
"It would be good if the Ukrainian army, which has undergone combat experience, after the establishment of peace in Ukraine, was ready to be present in all countries of our border region — starting with the Baltic region and in Lithuania, alongside the rotating German brigade and US battalions," — Kubilius noted.
He also clarified that any deployment of Ukrainian troops would not affect Germany's dispatch of an armored brigade to Lithuania, the presence of American troops in the region, and NATO's collective defense provisions under Article 5.
"We Lithuanians have learned from our history that it is better to have several guarantees of our security," — he stated, specifying that NATO's collective defense norm should be supported by the EU's own security initiatives "with a clear mechanism for their implementation."
Politico notes that currently, sending Ukrainian troops to help protect the EU's borders is a very distant prospect, as the Russians continue their offensive in eastern Ukraine and dictator Vladimir Putin shows no willingness to compromise to end the war.
