"This is not something that can be realized": Ohryzko questioned the idea of deploying Western peacekeepers in Ukraine. Video

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's plan to deploy peacekeepers from Western countries to Ukraine is not something that can be realized. We can only talk about it hypothetically at the moment.

Former Foreign Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Ohryzko said this in an interview with OBOZ.Talk. According to him, this hypothetical Trump plan has two options. The first is when both Ukraine and Russia agree to it, and then all the things that are being discussed now can begin to be realized.

"But let's analyze what the Russians say, and what Putin says, and what Lavrov repeats, and all the people around Putin. They say that Ukraine should capitulate. And this seems to be a prerequisite for them to go to any negotiations. If Trump is backing down, if he says yes, Ukraine will not be in NATO for another 20 years, then he is a weakling, then he is the president who, before he has even begun his term, is already raising his hands to the aggressor and to the country that tramples on the world order. Then how great is America, then how great is Trump," the diplomat said.

The second option assumes that Russia does not agree with Trump's plan, making absolutely absurd demands, and thus challenges the new US president directly. According to Ohryzko, the Republican will react to this, but the question is how.

"Trump has no position today on ending the war. He hopes that by putting pressure on both sides, he will be able to achieve some kind of quick solution. But, in my opinion, he no longer believes in these things himself, because he says that it will take some time, months, or maybe not months, but further," the former minister said.

Mr. Ohryzko also said that it is too early to say whether European troops will carry out a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Also, the possibility of involving US troops should not be completely ruled out, as they are stationed in Europe.

The diplomat emphasized that it is not the formats of any potential future military mission that should be discussed, but rather the format of security guarantees for Ukraine. The mission can only become possible after the end of Russia's war against Ukraine, or at least its hot phase.

"So, to summarize, I would say that we need to raise the question not of these future forms that we have just talked about, of a potential military presence on the territory of Ukraine, but of absolutely clear legal guarantees that are no different from the obligations under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. If we do not have this, then these are all guarantees that can very quickly turn into just another word, and we will put an end to this, as they say, but an end again at the cost of thousands of new Ukrainian lives," Ohryzko summarized.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, US President-elect Donald Trump proposes that European countries send troops to Ukraine to protect the front line after the ceasefire. However, such a deployment of EU troops to monitor compliance with the ceasefire should not take place under the auspices of NATO and without the participation of US troops.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!