Russia and, for the first time, China intervened in a persuasive and decisive manner in the diplomatic background, sending a resounding message to NATO in order to make clear that the deployment of foreign troops to Ukraine is impossible without the explicit consent of Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.
Indeed, Xi Jinping stated it clearly and publicly today 25/2 before German Chancellor Merz: “All parties must be equally involved in the peace process, Europeans cannot send troops against Russia unilaterally.”
In the wake of the unexpected Chinese involvement, European allies of Ukraine now openly acknowledge that the deployment of troops on its territory requires the consent of Moscow and Beijing.
According to the newspaper Telegraph, several countries of the “coalition of the willing” are prepared to send forces only with Moscow’s approval, fearing that without it they would become a direct military target.
Xi Jinping’s powerful message to Merz: No decision on Ukraine without Chinese participation
The President of China, Xi Jinping, made an unprecedented intervention today 25/2, calling for equal participation of all sides in resolving the conflict in Ukraine, reports Reuters.
According to the Chinese leader, all parties must be equally involved in the peace process.
He also emphasized that, regarding the Ukrainian issue, the most important priority is the search for a solution through dialogue.
Xi Jinping made this statement during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
According to the news agency, the two leaders exchanged views and presented their positions on the conflict in Ukraine.
Strong message from Beijing regarding the arming of Ukraine with a dirty bomb
Earlier, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, commented on the statement by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) regarding the alleged plans of Britain and France to transfer nuclear weapons to Ukraine.
She stressed that China calls on all parties to the conflict in Ukraine to avoid any actions that could escalate the situation.
Europeans back down: “We cannot send troops against Russia’s plans”
At the same time, in European capitals the conviction is taking hold: Without taking into account the position of Moscow and now also China, any plan for troop deployment in Ukraine after the end of the conflict is doomed to failure.
According to the Telegraph, representatives of countries within the “coalition of the willing” admitted in closed discussions that their decisions depend on the reaction of the Kremlin.
Anglo-French initiative for troops and NATO headquarters in Kyiv at risk
Diplomatic and defense sources report that the Anglo-French initiative risks collapsing if Russia considers the presence of a European force as a threat.
The concern is summarized as follows: Without Moscow’s consent, such forces risk automatically becoming a legitimate military target.
“If Russia declares its opposition and considers these troops a target, then the deployment of different types of forces will be required,” a newspaper source noted, emphasizing that Moscow’s stance has a “colossal impact on the entire process.”
The British planned multinational security guarantees
Countries of the “coalition of the willing” announced their intention to deploy troops to Ukraine, with the results of the 24 February meeting published by the office of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Leaders confirmed that they view the coalition as a mechanism for providing multilayered security guarantees, “including a multinational force supported by the United States.”
At the same time, London supported United States efforts toward a political settlement, underlining that all interested parties must participate in future negotiations, while calling for stricter sanctions against Russia.
Britain’s plan to send troops to Ukraine and the NATO headquarters
Four years after the start of the special military operation, the United Kingdom announced that it is strengthening its support for Ukraine with new military and humanitarian aid.
In London, officials particularly stress that the defense of Ukraine constitutes an extension of British security.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” with French President Emmanuel Macron, following the announcement they made together in January with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the intention to deploy British troops to Ukraine once peace is secured.
France and Britain establish headquarters of 70 NATO personnel
As stated in the document, these multinational forces include a headquarters of 70 personnel, while the training of British armed forces is funded by the government with 200 million pounds.
Keir Starmer stated: “Our message to the Ukrainian people is simple: Britain stands by you, stronger than ever. Despite the noise in global affairs, this war remains the most pressing issue of our time. Russia is not winning this war. It will not win it.”
The British support package for Ukraine
1) Energy: 20 million pounds for the protection and repair of the electricity grid. Total British support for the energy sector now exceeds 490 million pounds.
2) Humanitarian Aid: 5.7 million pounds for frontline communities.
3) Medical Guidance: Teams of British military surgeons and nurses train Ukrainian clinicians for complex battlefield operations.
4) Helicopter Crew Training: Ukrainian pilots are trained at a British air base to become flight instructors.
5) Air Defense: Commitment of 500 million pounds, including the transfer of Martlet (LMM) missiles manufactured in Belfast.
6) The Martlet (LMM) missile: A surface-to-air missile produced by Thales Air Defence Limited (TADL).
It weighs 13 kilograms, has a length of 1.3 meters, and a 3 kilogram warhead.
It is designed to neutralize Russian drones.
Questions surrounding the headquarters of 70 Western officers
However, while the transfer of weapons is clear, the “headquarters of 70 personnel” raises questions.
Where will it be located? Who is the commander? What is the hierarchy between Britain and France?
In recent negotiations between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia, the issue of deploying multinational forces was not even examined as a principle.
Moscow will never accept foreign military units on Ukrainian territory, especially from NATO member states.
Ukraine’s position on troops at the Belarus border
For his part, Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to Western allies the deployment of military units along the Ukraine–Belarus border.
In an interview with Agence France-Presse, he asked: “Why should your detachments not be stationed at the border?”
Zelensky clarified that although no concrete agreements yet exist, Kyiv would prefer foreign forces closer to the line of contact.
However, Poland has not confirmed its availability, while the Ukrainian side rejected the possibility of troop stationing in Lviv.
The Ukrainian leader also stated that he relies on agreements with Britain and France for the provision of one brigade of approximately 5,000 personnel from each country.
Russian intervention that ‘killed’ the troop deployment plan
However, Moscow will not consent under any circumstances to the deployment of NATO troops, assured Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
“We will never agree to the presence of NATO troops on Ukrainian soil,” he stressed in an interview with ABC News, adding that the “coalition of the willing” is the same as, or worse than, NATO.
Vladimir Putin’s message on NATO troops
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated yesterday 24/2 that Russia remains open to dialogue, but pointed to legal difficulties, as any territorial agreement requires a referendum under the Ukrainian constitution, which presupposes the lifting of martial law.
Regarding the presence of foreign troops, the Russian leader was explicit: “If troops appear there, especially now, during military operations, we will consider them legitimate targets for destruction.”
He concluded that after the signing of peace, the need for such troops would disappear in any case.
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