Trump in talks to deploy private army to Ukraine
Telegraph reveals peace plan taking shape behind closed doors
- The plan is being devised as a workaround after the US president promised that American troops would not be stationed in Ukraine.
- US contractors could be deployed to help rebuild Ukraine’s front-line defenses, new bases and protect US businesses.
- The presence of private soldiers would act as a deterrent to discourage Vladimir Putin from breaking an eventual ceasefire.
- Final details – which include air policing, training and Black Sea naval missions – could be announced as soon as this weekend after weeks of diplomatic activity sparked by Mr Trump’s talks with Putin in Alaska.
- European military planners accelerated their work after Mr Trump told continental leaders that Putin was open to Western allies offering security guarantees to Ukraine.
The American commander-in-chief also signalled his willingness to support what could become one of the most significant overseas missions since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Border reinforcement
- Under the plan, Ukrainian formations would defend a reinforced border at the front lines as agreed in any peace deal.
- For example, Ukraine could continue to buy U.S. systems, such as Patriot air-defense batteries or HIMARS rocket launchers, using funds provided by European allies.
U.S. contractors
- The presence of American contractors on the ground in Ukraine would be seen as a major boost for European powers, which want American buy-in to an eventual peace deal.
- Their deployment would mean the White House has skin in the game and would increase the deterrent effect against a Russian attack for fear of US retaliation, sources said.
- Discussions over the use of American contractors can be traced back to the signing of a joint deal to extract Ukraine’s vast minerals and rare earth wealth between Washington and Kyiv.
- The White House remains opposed to deploying its own troops to Ukraine, but has agreed to broad support to European forces being used to underpin any peace deal.
Using private contractors would also allow Mr Trump to allay fears among his MAGA supporters who are against foreign intervention, while also providing him with another business deal to champion, officials said.
Buffer zone
- It could be patrolled by peacekeepers or observers as agreed by both Kyiv and Moscow in any peace settlement.
- Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, would likely demand that European troops be stationed in the zone. The Kremlin has suggested China could be used as a security guarantor in talks over a peace deal.
- Mr Trump also suggested deploying Chinese troops as peacekeepers in postwar Ukraine during his meeting with European leaders last week, according to the Financial Times.
- Differences between the warring nations mean this option is unlikely to be agreed upon by all sides.
- And European nations are insisting they would not position their servicemen and women on the front lines between the Ukrainian and Russian armies.
Responding to reports of the prospect of a buffer zone, Mr Zelensky has said the Russians could retreat if they wanted to create more space between themselves and Ukrainian forces.
Reassurance force
- It would primarily serve as another deterrence deployment made up of thousands of European troops.
“The principal aim is to demonstrate to the Ukrainians that we would be in the fight with you if Russia re-invades,” one official said.
- These include the likes of Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, as well as the Baltic, Nordic and Scandinavian nations.
- It had previously been discussed as a deployment of around 30,000 European troops.
This figure has been seemingly scaled back because of a lack of resources and a fear it could be seen as “too muscular” in the eyes of Putin, a source added.
- It would, however, be contingent on a number of American pledges of support, including a so-called “backstop” and other assistance with logistics and intelligence.
The Telegraph has previously reported that this reassurance force would only be deployed to Ukraine for between five to 10 years, or until involved nations are confident that Ukraine’s military is capable of defending itself.
Air policing mission
European nations have been in discussions over introducing a no-fly zone to allow Ukraine to confidently reopen commercial aviation routes.
The scheme could be phased, The Telegraph can reveal, starting in the West and slowly covering more airspace until the entire country is safe enough for commercial air travel, for example.
Allowing air travel to start is seen as a key element in providing an investment boost to the war-torn country and would also help refugees to return home.
At first, the mission – using Western fighter jet patrols and ground-based air defence systems – would aim to open Lviv and other Ukrainian airports in the West of the country.
As confidence builds in any ceasefire arrangements holding, the mission would be extended eastwards towards Kyiv and other cities.
Black Sea task force
- Kyiv has been able to keep open its own wartime shipping corridors, and the operation would see more routes re-established through Western naval patrols.
- The mission, supported by Black Sea nations Bulgaria and Romania, would also lead efforts to de-mine the waters.
- Romania has been buying naval vessels from Turkish shipyards as it gears up to play a more pivotal role in the region.
Turkey has blocked access to the Black Sea for both Russian and newer vessels promised to Ukraine by Western allies as it seeks to limit the conflict in the area.
Western training missions
- The idea was first proposed by Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, last year amid concerns that too many Ukrainian troops were going AWOL from training camps in his country.
- It was rejected as escalatory by Joe Biden at the time, a former US official said.
- But this year, it re-emerged under Mr Trump’s pressure to build a peace plan as a way of providing another deterrence effect against a renewed Russian invasion.
Training forces would also speed up the process of rearming and rebuilding Ukraine’s armed forces to create the “steel porcupine” effect on the front lines.
As well as France’s mission, Britain’s highly successful training programme, Operation Interflex, would likely be moved to Western Ukraine, according to the current plans.
US support seen as vital
European officials believe Washington has been amenable to requests for assistance in the form of American heavy-lift aircraft to move equipment and troops eastwards towards Ukraine.
This would also help keep Western weapons flowing into Ukraine. European nations have already pledged to buy at least $10bn in American-made military equipment for Kyiv in recent weeks.
Ukraine has also tabled a proposal that would see the country promise to buy a further $90bn worth of hardware once the war comes to an end.
In preparation, the US state department has already approved a potential sale of air-launched cruise missiles and related equipment to Ukraine for an estimated $825m.
The potential sale of 3,350 extended range attack munition (ERAM) missiles, which could be delivered to Kyiv within weeks, includes GPS guidance kits and electronic warfare defences for the weapons, which have a range of “several hundred” miles.
The package also includes support equipment, mission planning software, spares, and technical support, the Pentagon announced on Thursday.
Intelligence is key
- European nations lack the satellite capabilities needed to sufficiently monitor any ceasefire.
- As well as supporting boots on the ground, intelligence assistance would also be key for the air policing mission to succeed, it is believed.
- Mr Trump temporarily withdrew IRS support from Kyiv after his Oval Office spat with Mr Zelensky, which has been blamed on the Ukrainian armed forces losing their foothold in the Russian Kursk region at an accelerated rate.
- A source told The Telegraph that US officials had also asked Britain’s Ministry of Defense not to share intelligence to this effect while Mr Trump’s peace talks take place with Putin.
Command and control
Europe also lacks experience in co-ordinating major military missions, which has mainly been left to American four-star generals.
- U.S. General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s top commander, has been mooted as a possibility for a role, should the idea get the go-ahead from Mr Trump.
- The White House has already signed off on his involvement in the recent flurry of military planning, in what is seen by European allies as one of the greatest signs of support for security guarantees by the president.
By handing a greater role to Gen Grynkewich, the coalition will benefit from pre-made plans to defend the continent against a Russian invasion and extra American buy-in for any security guarantees.
U.S. backstop
- Even if Mr Trump is to verbally agree to the concept, there is unease from European capitals about the pledge’s sustainability.
Putin remains untrusted
Many believe he is misleading Mr Trump and dragging out the war to gain more territory.
Russia said on Friday that Western proposals for security guarantees were “one-sided” and “designed to contain Russia”, only adding to the levels of skepticism in Europe.
Andriy Yermak, the head of the office of the president of Ukraine, said no pressure was being put on Ukraine by the US to make territory concessions.
“I am satisfied with the meeting with Witkoff ... no one from the American side is putting pressure on Ukraine regarding any territories,” he said following his meeting with Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump’s special envoy, in New York.
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