Ukraine asserts control over foreign troop presence decisions
- Ukraine, not Russia, will decide about the presence of foreign troops on its territory, emphasized Radosław Sikorski in Madrid. The Polish Minister participated in a meeting with representatives from the EU's Big Five, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine.
What you need to know
- The decision about the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine belongs to Kyiv, not the Kremlin, emphasized Radosław Sikorski during the meeting in Madrid.
- As he noted, the topic is premature because there is no ceasefire agreement yet in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
- He pointed out that the international community will decide if Kyiv requests a foreign military presence.
During the meeting in Madrid, which included representatives from the EU's Big Five (France, Germany, Poland, Italy, and Spain), the United Kingdom, and Ukraine, Radosław Sikorski stressed that it is Ukraine's right to decide on the presence of foreign troops on its territory.
The Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that the discussion on this topic is premature because a ceasefire agreement has not been reached in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
What does the lack of a ceasefire agreement mean?
Sikorski pointed out that without a ceasefire agreement, discussions about the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine are currently theoretical.
If Kyiv requests a foreign presence, then the international community will decide on this matter, the minister assessed.
The head of Polish diplomacy emphasized that Russia poses a threat to all of Europe; therefore, the response should also be European.
