Europeans promise Ukraine ‘multinational force’

Yesterday the leaders of Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the European Union published a statement of Europe’s position on a possible resolution to the war in Ukraine. The provisions include a European-led “multinational force Ukraine,” supported by the U.S., that “will assist in the regeneration of Ukraine’s forces, in securing Ukraine’s skies, and in supporting safer seas, including through operating inside Ukraine.” Russia is unlikely to agree to such a force, so the statement seems intended as a show of solidarity. It will prolong negotiations and the war. Before the statement was published, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told Rossiya 1, “The Europeans are playing their own game. It still looks like they want the war to continue.” Germany has an interest in continuing the war, which it could have prevented early on. As Mr. Flurry wrote in 2023: “I believe Germany has already given Ukraine to Russia in a secret deal.”