NATO military chiefs meet in Paris without US to plan rapid response force for Ukraine
Nearly all NATO members except the US gather in Paris to discuss creating international security forces with heavy weaponry that could rapidly deploy to Ukraine if Russia violates a future ceasefire agreement.
The US delegation was not invited to the military representatives’ summit in Paris on 11 March, where discussions will focus on the creation of international security forces for Ukraine, the Associated Press has reported, citing a French military official.
The US’s exclusion stems from European countries wanting to demonstrate their ability to take responsibility for maintaining peace in Ukraine following a potential ceasefire.
The summit will be attended by the chiefs of staff or their representatives from nearly all 32 NATO member countries, except the US Delegations from Croatia and Montenegro will also be absent.
Ukraine will be represented by a military official who is also a member of the National Security and Defense Council, UNIAN reports.
The main topic will be how international security forces, proposed by France and the UK, can prevent a large-scale Russian offensive following a ceasefire.
A French government official mentioned that the security forces could include heavy weaponry and strategic stockpiles, which could be rapidly deployed—within hours or days—to support Ukraine’s defense in case of a ceasefire violation by Russia.
Further discussions will be more precise and specific, with participants invited to express their military structures’ readiness to participate in the initiative. However, state leaders at the political level will make the final decision on participation.
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