"500,000 soldiers needed": A British general explains why the idea of peacekeepers in Ukraine may not succeed.

At the beginning of 2024, Europe was stirred by a statement from French President Emmanuel Macron, who did not rule out the possibility of sending French troops to Ukraine. Western countries began to express their positions "for" or "against" such a proposal, but over time, the discussions quieted down.

Now, the idea of deploying foreign troops to Ukraine has resurfaced. This comes in light of reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is allegedly suggesting the placement of European troops to monitor the ceasefire in the event of a "peace agreement" between Kyiv and Moscow. The troops could be part of a peacekeeping mission or a monitoring group.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also expressed support for the idea of a military contingent.

However, why is the deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine such a complex task? In an interview with "Telegraph", Richard Shirreff — a retired British general and former deputy supreme commander of NATO's Allied Forces in Europe — addressed this issue.

"For a front line stretching a thousand kilometers, a massive army will be needed. And it must be prepared. This should be a force that has the 'muscle' and is ready to fight. Can the UK, Germany, France, and Poland really form such an army?

For comparison, remember how NATO entered Kosovo 25 years ago. It was a very small country. There were no real battles. Yet even then, the NATO contingent consisted of 50,000 soldiers.

Now extrapolate that to a thousand kilometers. You would need 500,000 soldiers just to maintain peace. And they must be prepared to fight Russia. If they have to engage in combat, it means war with Russia,” the general explained.

According to Shirreff, the only way to deter and compel Putin to stop is to oppose him with superior military force.

"But that again means NATO countries would have to acknowledge that they are entering a war against Russia. Are they truly ready to send their soldiers into such a situation? I simply do not see the political will for such a step.

The so-called "peace plan by Jay D. Vance", along with signals we are hearing from Washington, indicates that American soldiers will not set foot on [Ukrainian] soil.

I believe that the idea of [armed peacekeepers in Ukraine] has not been properly thought through," the British general concluded.

The full interview with Richard Shirreff regarding the current military situation in Ukraine and Putin's near-term goals will be available on the "Telegraph" website next week.