France and Britain are leading efforts to build a multinational security force that could deploy to Ukraine as part of any future peace deal with Russia. Around 30 countries will discuss the plan at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday.
It’s the first formal meeting of what some are calling a “coalition of the willing”, aimed at creating a unit that could act as both a peacekeeping and rapid response force.
The idea gained momentum after senior French and British military officers visited Kyiv in recent weeks.
The force is not expected to be stationed directly on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Instead, it would likely be based further back – possibly even outside Ukrainian territory – but close enough to respond quickly if Russian forces attack again.
British officials have floated the idea of sending between 10,000 and 30,000 troops, though the final shape of the force will depend on the terms of any eventual agreement.
US absent from talks
The United States will not be at the meeting. Although there have been earlier talks involving American officials, Washington is not sending a delegation on Thursday.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is not expected to attend.
Many believe American involvement – especially in terms of airpower and logistics – would be key to the success of any future mission. But the Trump administration has not made a firm commitment. It has also continued to call on Europe to take more responsibility for its own defence.
That leaves European countries to prove they can act together without direct US support. Some remain cautious, unwilling to commit troops without Washington on board.
As Europe pours money into defence, reliance on US remains a sticking point
Post-Cold War challenges
There are also challenges when it comes to military capacity. After scaling back armed forces following the Cold War, many European nations are now scrambling to rebuild. Rearmament takes time and resources.
Ukraine’s government and military analysts have warned that Russia may launch a new offensive in the coming weeks. They say Moscow could be trying to pressure Kyiv ahead of any negotiations.
A broader meeting involving around 50 countries will take place at NATO headquarters on Friday. That session will be co-chaired by Britain and Germany and is aimed at boosting military support for Ukraine.
