Some said that once again the Europeans “fired the cart in front of the horse”. While they themselves do not seem to be crowded in the prospect of a short peace in Ukraine because of Putin’s reluctance, they have been deeply thrown into the debate on security guarantees and dispatch of a peacekeeping force in the struck country. So this will happen after the weapons have been silenced, but this has not prevented the phrasal skirmishes from already starting. Both within the countries that have expressed intent to support the venture, as well as between the “willing” and not in the EU.

The last sample and definitely more extreme is the contradiction between France and Italy with a central “hero” the vice president of the Italian government, and Minister of Infrastructure, Matteo Salvini of Lega. Speaking at an event in Milan, he addressed French President Emmanuel Macron with the phrase “Wear your helmet, your vest, your rifle and go to Ukraine”. The Italian once again praised Donald Trump for peace efforts and commented on the “European armies, European re -equipment, European joint debts for the purchase of rockets”.

Diplomatic episode

The result was a diplomatic incident with the French Foreign Ministry inviting the Italian ambassador to Paris for explanations. Salvini has in the past ironic or even criticized with heavy marks the Frenchman’s stated desire to send an army to Ukraine. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni may not use such tones, he may have traveled with Macron and other Europeans last Monday to the White House, but she is also categorically opposed to sending soldiers to Ukrainian territory. He has even publicly wondered what would happen if a Russian rocket was hit by Italian soldiers and if this would involve immediate war involvement with Moscow. Italy, along with Spain, “lead” the group of countries, who do not see the whole idea that has divided Europe into two.

Clear ‘not’ by the Poles

Of course, it is not only the “southern” who have such reservations. Just yesterday research from Poland showed that 61.1% of citizens are against troops to their neighboring country. Only 17.3% agrees with such an option. Poland’s military involvement has been ruled out by both center -right Prime Minister Tusk and ethnocenta President Navrotsky, who otherwise disagree with many. That is why Poland, unlike Finland, was not represented at the meeting in Washington by anyone, though both would like it.

In essence, the majority of the countries of 27 have no particular desire to get military in Ukraine, even when they have been silent. The exceptions are the Baltic countries, but on the one hand they are small in size and therefore a number of soldiers and on the other hand they feel threatened by Russia to send great powers outside the border.

The Estonians, for example, talked about sending about 1,000 people, when calculations for the total of such a force talk about 150,000 staff.

Everything shows that the main burden of such a business would be lifted by the French and the British, while the Germans seem available, but they should also first cover the shortcomings of their own army in human resources. In Germany, however, the discussion is divided and is often extremely charged. A role in the final decision will of course play if such a force is set up, and the “flag” under which such a mission and its mandate will be made. At the moment the quarrels are about a virtual scenario.