US and NATO ask European countries: Are we ready to send peacekeepers to Ukraine?

Bulgaria has received questions about possible participation in the process of ensuring security in Ukraine. This was confirmed to BNT by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Six questions have been sent to Bulgaria from the United States Embassy in Bulgaria and through our permanent delegation to NATO.

The document asks which countries could contribute to security guarantees for Kyiv, whether they would be willing to deploy troops in Ukraine as part of a peaceful resolution, and what the size of any potential European-led forces should be.

The decision to send Bulgarian troops to Ukraine is the exclusive prerogative of the Parliament, the Foreign Ministry said.

Bulgaria's position is categorical - Ukraine should receive clear and reliable guarantees for its security and should itself participate in the negotiations on its future.

The same six-question letter was also sent by the U.S. administration to all capitals in Europe, where the debate over the participation of European soldiers as peacekeepers in Ukraine has dominated discussions since yesterday.

At an extraordinary summit in Paris, convened by President Emmanuel Macron, European countries united in their support for Ukraine but did not agree on the idea of sending European troops.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was the first to not rule out sending troops to Ukrainian territory "if necessary." Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron also raised the idea.

Sweden has also not ruled out joining such a mission after a possible ceasefire in Ukraine.

On the other hand, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary are firmly opposed. Signals from Germany are mixed just days before the early parliamentary elections. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government rejected the idea, but the Christian Democratic Union, expected to win Sunday’s vote, supports sending troops.

Other undecided countries include Denmark, Spain, and the Netherlands.

The meeting and its format have been criticized by some countries, such as the Czech Republic and Romania, for not being represented despite their proximity to Ukraine.

After the Paris meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and briefed him on the discussions. Macron also had talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Parallel to the European leaders' meetings and telephone diplomacy, the U.S. envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, met today with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after having spoken with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte yesterday. Kellogg has scheduled talks with Polish President Andrzej Duda and will then visit Kyiv for discussions with President Volodymyr Zelensky.