Overview

• European officials are privately debating a roughly 40 km demilitarized strip inside Ukraine as part of a possible ceasefire or postwar arrangement.
• Moscow is viewed as receptive to the idea, while Kyiv’s acceptance is uncertain because the plan likely entails territorial concessions.
• Estimates for policing the zone range from about 4,000 to 60,000 personnel, no country has committed troops, and French and British forces are expected to anchor any contingent.
• Poland and Germany have ruled out sending forces, Estonia has offered some, and allies warn the mission could drain eastern‑flank defenses and leave cities vulnerable.
• The United States is not part of the talks, President Donald Trump has backed away from any troop presence, and recent Russian strikes on central Kyiv that killed at least 23 people heighten doubts about enforceability.