Trump wants European troops in Ukraine. Europe's voters are not convinced.

Copyright © HT Digital Streams Limit all rights reserved. However, European leaders argue with the uncomfortable fact that many voters are opposed to any deployment that puts troops in the road. (AFP) Summary The public is wary of the push that some governments do to deploy thousands of troops in Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached. A plan to send thousands of European troops to Ukraine if a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow is reached against an important skeptic: the European public. President Trump has recently become warm for the idea that the US offers some form of safety guarantees to Ukraine after France and the United Kingdom proposed to send a so -called ‘reassurance power’ to Ukraine after a peace agreement to ward off further attacks by Russia. However, European leaders argue with the uncomfortable fact that many voters are opposed to any deployment that puts troops in the road. Eastern European countries do not want to lead powers away from their own borders that form the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Opposition is also quite widespread in Italy and Germany, which haunts the legacy of World War II. When German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently said he plans to start with the consulting parliament on a possible military deployment in Ukraine, the reaction was guarded. His own foreign minister, Johann Wadephhul, said such an deployment would expand the capacity of the Bundeswehr, as it has already built an armored brigade in Lithuania to protect the eastern flank of NATO. Other political leaders said the discussion was premature, as there was no sign that a peace agreement was threatening. Any troop deployment by Germany can only be decided by Parliament, where the government has a relatively small majority. Opposition parties on the right and left are all shipping of troops to Ukraine. And a survey by the Insa voting room showed last week that 56% of respondents opposed a German contribution, an increase compared to spring. “I fear that the Bundeswehr may not have the ability to tackle such a task without leaving us at home unprotected,” says Leonard Wolters, 28, who works in the marketing of a start in Berlin. Even in France, one of the most important proponents of putting boots on the ground-hanging public support on the fact that there is a final peace agreement in place, as opposed to a ceasefire. In a March recording by the polls Elabe, it was found that 67% of respondents supported to send a French deployment as Kyiv and Moscow reached a peace agreement. Without one, 68% of respondents were opposed. Nicolas Degages, a 45-year-old stage technician in Paris, does not regard Russia as a threat to France, while having distrust in Europe’s leadership. “If we’re in Ukraine to rebuild,” he says. “But if we are there to create doubt and maintain a war, there is no point.” European officials say it is difficult to sell the public on any deployment without a clear statement from the US that European troops will have the support of the world’s most advanced military. Despite a wave of mad diplomacy over the past few weeks, there is still no clarity on what the US would be willing to provide. Trump excluded that he was putting troops on the ground while saying that the US would play a role in the guarantee of Ukraine safety. Many European leaders believe that the deployment of troops in Ukraine is essential for the safety of Europe, warning that Russia will act over other parts of Europe if Kyiv falls. Boots on the Ground also shows Europe’s commitment to the protection of Ukraine, as Washington is considering what types of safety guarantees eventually provide. These arguments find majority support in parts of Europe, especially northern countries. The Netherlands, Denmark and Estonia said they were ready to contribute troops. French President Emmanuel Macron tried to reassure the public that any deployment at airports and other important infrastructure, far from any hot zones, would be stationed. Macron and other European leaders have long said that the defense of the front line should be left to a well -armed Ukrainian army. “The purpose of these reassurance forces is not to be bail for peace operations. They are not going to keep the border,” Macron said, adding that the French forces would “provide strategic support”. Destruction in Slovyansk to Russian drone and rocket strikes. Britain’s involvement is also reserved. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said such a safety force would only be deployed if the US promised to provide a back stop that would provide military assistance to its troops if they were to get under the Russian attack. According to polls, the majority of the British public are happy that their army is involved in any peace mission, but does not want to provoke a direct confrontation with Russia. The government government remained dumb of whether British troops in Ukraine would be allowed to fire Russian soldiers if Ukraine were left again. Meanwhile, grandiose plans for a European peace mission of 30,000 strong have been rejected as Britain’s army does not have enough manpower. France and the UK intend to commit between 6,000 and 10,000 troops. According to officials, Britain’s involvement is likely to be focused on maritime and air domains, which helps prevent the air and seas and seas to prevent the Russian exceeding. Any presence of the army is likely to focus on training the Ukrainian soil forces. However, the pressure on even a closely defined European power receives setback, especially from the continent’s populists. After European leaders met with Trump in Washington, which created the momentum for an American supported power, Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini pointed to Macron to push the idea. “You go there if you want. Put your helmet, your jacket, your gun and you go to Ukraine, ‘said Salvini, leader of the Nativist League party. Poland was one of the largest donors of support to Ukraine in the first years of conflict and sent war aircraft, tanks, helicopters and armored staff to the front. But Warsaw drew a red line to send troops to Ukraine as part of a broader safety force in the US. The risks associated with troops to Ukraine run much higher for border countries, says Poland. According to Warsaw, his powers can cause an escalation of the conflict that can spread to the Polish area. After the boom of support in 2022 and the great influx of Ukrainian refugees from the war, the conflict deeply politicized in Poland, where many people advocate a much less active stance on support. In a survey conducted by independent polls in March this year, 58.5% of respondents were strongly against sending troops to Ukraine and 28% replied that Poland should not “send” to the neighboring country. Write to Stacy Meichtry at [email protected], Bertrand Benoit at [email protected] and Max colchester at [email protected] Catch all the business news, Marknuus, breaks news opportunities and latest news updates on Live Mint. Download the Mint News app to get daily market updates. More Topics #russia Ukraine War #Europe Read Next Story