WSJ shares details of Macron and Starmer's plan on Russia containment they are to present to Trump next week

During a visit to the United States, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will present their plan for a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine to US President Donald Trump. It calls for the deployment of up to 30,000 European troops on Ukrainian territory after a ceasefire.

However, the implementation of the plan requires U.S. troops to support European deterrence forces without deploying the former in Ukraine, and Starmer and Macron will try to convince Trump to agree to this. The details of the plan to contain Russia were published by The Wall Street Journal.

According to the plan, a peacekeeping contingent of up to 30,000 European troops will be deployed to deter Russia after a ceasefire is reached in Ukraine. The core of the deterrence force will be made up of British and French troops, along with naval and air forces.

These peacekeeping troops are unlikely to be deployed along the front line, rather they will serve to protect our country's vital infrastructure, cities and ports in the Black Sea.

Russia's compliance with the ceasefire, according to the plan, will be monitored by drones and satellites.

However, the plan requires American security guarantees for Ukraine. Whether Trump is ready to consider this issue may become clear in the coming days, after Starmer and Macron meet with the US president at the White House.

According to the WSJ, the European deterrence plan, which is still being worked on, does not include the deployment of US troops in Ukraine, which the US administration has repeatedly stated is impossible. However, European forces feel the need to use American military capabilities.

Sources say that the US could deploy air defense systems in the countries bordering Ukraine so that these systems could cover part of our country's territory. At the same time, the United States could provide other air defense systems to Europeans.

In addition, U.S. air forces at locations outside of Ukraine should be prepared to respond if European forces are threatened.

Unnamed European officials told the WSJ that Starmer will speak with Trump about the plan on Thursday, February 27, but they believe the British prime minister is unlikely to make a specific request for American assistance.

Macron, on the other hand, will meet with Trump earlier - on Monday, February 24, the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The purpose of his meeting with the American president is to outline the allies' broader views on the Russia-Ukraine war and how to ensure that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin does not attack again after a respite.

The publication, citing European officials, adds that without Trump's support, the European plan to send peacekeepers will be difficult to implement.

The key challenge for Europe, the WSJ writes, may be Trump's intention to strengthen ties with Russia and his reluctance to position the US military as a potential opponent of Russian leader Vladimir Putin's forces in Ukraine.

British officials believe that US involvement is crucial to deterring Russian attacks, encouraging other European countries to send troops, and providing multinational forces with key capabilities that European armed forces lack.

Earlier, the Kremlin said that any British plan to send peacekeepers to Ukraine "would be unacceptable." In contrast, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that it is not Russia, but Ukraine that will decide which troops will be on its territory.

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