Collective pressure on Russia to reach a ceasefire agreement

Sunday 16 March 2025 - 13:16

By: Zahouani Ilham

Collective pressure on Russia to reach a ceasefire agreement

During a virtual summit hosted by London, a group of thirty leaders supporting Ukraine agreed to apply "collective pressure" on Russia, which is suspected of wanting to continue the war, to compel Moscow to accept a ceasefire.

French President Emmanuel Macron, one of the participants in the summit, argued that Moscow should have no say in the matter if Ukraine "requests" the deployment of "allied forces" to ensure a potential peace agreement, a scenario the Kremlin has strongly opposed.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that "the ball is in Russia's court" and that Moscow must soon engage in "serious discussions." He noted that President Vladimir Putin is the one delaying the process. Starmer also pointed out that Ukraine has shown willingness for peace by agreeing to a 30-day cessation of hostilities proposed by Washington. The U.S. is pushing for an immediate ceasefire and has exerted significant pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while Russian President Putin has raised "important issues" that need to be resolved before giving his agreement.

Starmer made it clear that Russia's conditional approval is not enough, and all summit participants agreed on applying "collective pressure" to encourage Moscow to endorse the plan. If Russia refuses, further "economic pressure" will be applied, Starmer added.

Macron agreed, stressing that for peace to be achieved, Russia must respond clearly, and pressure must be applied in collaboration with the United States. He further stated that Moscow’s intensifying military actions show that it is not genuinely seeking peace.

Zelensky, who participated in the summit via video conference from Kyiv, suggested that Russia is trying to strengthen its position on the battlefield before agreeing to a temporary halt to hostilities. He also rejected Putin's claim that a ceasefire would be too complicated, asserting that everything could be controlled, as discussed with the U.S.

Simultaneously, U.S. envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, was appointed as "special envoy for Ukraine" and will directly engage with Zelensky on these matters, according to Donald Trump.

In regard to the potential deployment of allied forces on Ukrainian soil during a ceasefire, Macron took a firm stance, stating that several European and non-European countries expressed willingness to send troops to Ukraine to guarantee a future peace agreement with Russia. These would be "a few thousand men per country" stationed at "key points for training programs" and to show long-term support.

"If Ukraine requests allied forces on its territory, it is not for Russia to accept or refuse," Macron stated. "Ukrainians must never make territorial concessions without security guarantees."

For the past two weeks, Starmer and Macron have been working to form a "coalition of willing countries" to deter Moscow from violating the ceasefire. Many European states, Ukraine, Turkey, NATO, the European Commission, Canada, and Australia participated in the virtual summit to shape the plan.

The allied countries' contribution to Kiev could involve sending soldiers, a commitment France, the UK, and Turkey are ready to make, or providing logistical support. Starmer also mentioned new commitments being discussed by a "larger group" than at the start of the month.

However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, under pressure from her far-right ally Matteo Salvini, confirmed that Italy does not plan to deploy troops.

Military leaders from countries supporting Kiev will meet in the UK on Thursday to discuss the "operational phase" of their peacekeeping plan if a ceasefire is reached after three years of war.