(London = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Ji-yeon = After the ceasefire, the European multinational force to support Ukraine's security will be allowed to fire in response to a preemptive attack by Russia, the British daily Guardian reported on the 3rd (local time), citing Western officials.
The 'Coalition of the Will', an international consultative body led by Britain and France for post-war security support for Ukraine, is preparing the military arm of the 'Multinational Force-Ukraine' (MNF-U). Previously, this division was also called the ‘Security Security Force’.
The multinational force is also planning its first military exercise, 'Koalicia', from the 9th to the 22nd. The United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Spain will participate, and 2,800 troops from the army, navy, and air force will be deployed.
In announcing the multinational force's training plan, the British Ministry of Defense repeatedly confirmed that the multinational force will only be deployed to Ukraine at the request of the Ukrainian government after fighting has ceased and will not carry out peacekeeping or ceasefire compliance missions.
British Lieutenant General Tom Bateman, commander of the multinational force, explained that a key goal of the mission was to help reorganize and strengthen the Ukrainian army after the war, and that Western troops would be deployed further away from the front lines.
However, the Guardian reported that multinational forces will be allowed to engage in self-defense if attacked by Russian drones due to rules of engagement.
A Western official familiar with the mission said Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be "defensive in nature," but added, "Obviously we will protect our forces against any attack."
Accordingly, the Guardian pointed out that questions are raised about how Russia would react if a multinational force attacked by Russia were to respond in accordance with its right to self-defense. Although all militaries are required to act in accordance with the right of self-defense, the right of self-defense is often expanded.
As it is unclear when a cease-fire will be reached in Ukraine, sending troops is only an assumption, but considering Russia's history of continuing low-level attacks during the cease-fire period between its invasion of Crimea in 2014 and a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the possibility of an armed conflict with British troops involved cannot be ruled out, the newspaper pointed out.
Russia's position is that it will not tolerate the sending of European troops to Ukraine through a 'coalition of the willing'.
Additionally, the multinational force led by Britain and France plans not to rely on American systems or technologies such as Elon Musk's Starlink.
Lieutenant General Bateman emphasized that the multinational force is 'non-NATO' and that it is a mission operated outside of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and it is expected that very few U.S. resources will be deployed to Ukraine.
Asked whether the multinational force relies on Starlink, another Western official said, "We do not rely on American systems," and that they are careful not to use American technology.
Starlink (Starshield) is a key communication technology for Ukraine's drone operations, but controversy over speed limits arose last month after a conflict between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The 'Coalition of the Will' was formed under the leadership of Britain and France immediately after the White House summit between President Trump and President Zelenskyy broke down early last year. Europe has requested the United States to provide information and other support, saying it will proactively support Ukraine's post-war security through a 'coalition of the willing', but the Trump administration is taking a lukewarm stance.
The Associated Press reported that Europe is preparing to send troops to Ukraine after the war, but there are many difficulties and some experts are even predicting that there will be no deployment at all.
Ed Arnold, a researcher at the Royal Joint Military Institute (RUSI), said the most important part for Ukraine and European countries was US intelligence support and support for monitoring compliance with the ceasefire. “In reality, the US is supporting Russia against Ukraine, so a lasting ceasefire is a long way off.”
