Europe would have difficulty mobilizing even 25,000 soldiers for a "preventive" mission in Ukraine, due to chronic underfunding and personnel shortages in its armed forces, according to revelations published by the British newspaper The Times.
The newspaper has gained access to internal discussions Between european Defense ministers and military chiefs, who are considering creating a “coalition of the willing” to support Ukraine.
The head of the UK Armed Forces, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, has reportedly proposed to his European counterparts the creation of a force of 64,000 soldiers, which could be deployed to Ukraine if a peace deal is reached. Britain intends to offer up to 10,000 troops.
However, in subsequent meetings, European defense ministers described this plan as unfeasible, emphasizing that even mobilizing 25,000 soldiers would be extremely difficult.
Last week, The Times reported that Britain and France are now considering sending trainers to western Ukraine, rather than forming a multinational ground force to protect major cities and critical infrastructure, due to the high risk.
Now, the focus of European support is shifting to the reconstruction and rearmament of the Ukrainian army, with an emphasis on aeronautical support.
During a meeting on April 10, defense ministers expressed serious reservations about the British proposal. It was noted that such a force would require a total of 256,000 soldiers for two years, due to the need for constant personnel rotation.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Sakalienė stated: “Russia has 800,000 soldiers. If we can’t even reach 64,000, we don’t look weak — we are weak.” Her comments were described as particularly powerful and inspiring.
The discussions highlighted Europe's heavy reliance on the US for deterrence against Russia. According to one source, deploying special forces would be politically more feasible, as it would not require approval from national parliaments.
Estonia and Finland expressed concerns that sending troops would weaken their border protection, while Poland, Spain and Italy made it clear that they would not send soldiers.
“Without the participation of large countries with large populations, the initiative is doomed to fail,” another source said. France is said to be offering a similar number of troops to Britain, between 5,000 and 10,000.
Another source added that both finland And germany are Generally opposed to the deployment of ground forces, although berlin Has not completely ruled out the possibility.
"If we exclude these countries, where will the army come from? The rest are out of the fight and we will be left exposed," the same source said.
Finally, it was noted that the British army, which is in a process of continuous shrinkage, is facing serious shortages in artillery and critical support equipment, such as trucks and supply vehicles — which are usually supplied by the US.
European reservations about sending ground forces have led to a change in strategy: in the event of a peace agreement, the force that may be sent will be limited to training tasks away from the front line, without the mission of protecting critical installations or Ukrainian units.
A British Ministry of Defense spokesman said:
"Operational planning within the framework of the 'coalition of the willing' continues, with land, sea and air options, as well as for the reconstruction of the Ukrainian armed forces. At the same time, we are supporting peace efforts and increasing our military assistance to Ukraine in the face of Putin's illegal invasion."
