Zhovkva on peacekeepers: We need soldiers ready for different scenarios, including missile attacks
Ukraine expects European peacekeepers to be ready to guarantee peace.
This was stated by Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva, Censor.NET reports citing European Pravda.
Zhovkva emphasized that Ukraine "does not need peacekeepers, blue helmets, unarmed or something like that" or the presence of European forces for the sake of presence - but it also does not need European troops "to fight Russia."
"The Ukrainian government understands that there will be no international troops on the contact line, and Kyiv will have to 'rely primarily' on its own armed forces," he explained.
The deputy head of the OP also added that Kyiv expects Europe to have a strong presence in Ukraine and soldiers ready for various scenarios, including missile or drone attacks.
"If European countries are serious about contributing, they should be really serious," he emphasized.
The official declined to say how many European troops Ukraine needs, but noted that "we do not need 5,000 or 10,000."
"It's not about the number. It is also about their willingness to fight, their willingness to defend, their willingness to be equipped, their willingness to understand that Ukraine is an integral part of European security," Zhovkva said.
He suggested that European forces could help secure Ukraine's border with Belarus, freeing up Ukrainian troops to deploy to more dangerous regions.
"We don't need an international presence somewhere in Lviv," the deputy head of the OP said.
Earlier, it was reported that Europe is considering alternative options amid discussions about sending troops to Ukraine to ensure security.
