Switzerland says it might contribute 200 troops for future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine
Source: Reuters, citing Thomas Süssli, Commander-in-Chief of the Swiss Armed Forces, in an interview with Swiss newspaper SonntagsBlick posted on Sunday, 23 February, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Süssli stated that discussions on deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine are purely hypothetical at this stage, as it remains uncertain how the situation between Kyiv and Moscow will evolve.
"There's no peace yet and there's been no request from the United Nations," he noted.
Meanwhile, he stressed that Switzerland could probably "field around 200 soldiers in nine to 12 months".
He emphasised that should Switzerland receive a request, the decision would lie with the government and parliament.
Neutral Switzerland participates in various peacekeeping missions globally, the largest of which is in Kosovo, where its troops support NATO forces (KFOR).
European countries are discussing the possibility of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine.
Background:
Media reports suggest that a plan by the UK and France for a peacekeeping contingent envisages the deployment of up to 30,000 European troops. However, it depends on whether the US president can be persuaded to agree to a limited US military role.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that it would be unacceptable for Russia to see NATO troops deployed in Ukraine after an agreement to resolve the war is reached.
US President Donald Trump has backed the idea of deploying European armed forces to Ukraine for a peacekeeping mission.
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