One of the security guarantees for Ukraine is the deployment of a peacekeeping force along the demarcation line with russia. According to estimates voiced by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, approximately 100,000 peacekeepers would be needed.
This number might seem excessive to some, but the estimated length of the active frontline is around 1,200 km, to which the border length must be added. As of the summer of 2024, the General Staff reported a total length of 3,700 km, which has only increased since then. Thus, if all 100,000 peacekeepers were lined up along the demarcation line, there would be fewer than 27 peacekeepers per kilometer.
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At the same time, the United States has already explicitly stated that American troops will not participate in any security mission in Ukraine. Therefore, the only option for deploying peacekeeping forces remains the forces of Europe, the EU, or the European segment of NATO.
Moreover, such a peacekeeping operation would be one of the largest in history. For context, in 2019, the total number of UN peacekeeping forces was exactly 100,000 personnel, with 44,000 of them coming from African countries. However, in recent years, UN peacekeepers have not been the best example of effectiveness or real peace enforcement.
Meanwhile, European contingents in Europe could achieve better results, as this mission would directly concern their own security.
However, the question arises: can European countries physically provide 100,000 troops as peacekeepers?
The current strength of the European segment of NATO stands at 2.04 million personnel across all armed forces of its member states. Excluding Turkey, the number drops to 1.56 million, and without Hungary and Slovakia, it stands at 1.51 million.
Thus, the required 100,000 troops represent only 6.6% of the total European armed forces, even without considering countries with pro-russian governments. This makes the goal more than realistic, though it still requires firm and unwavering political will.
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