European powers agreed to put boots on the ground to defend Ukraine as part of a proposed peace deal.
Britain and France would establish military bases in Ukraine, while the US offered satellite and drone monitoring to detect any ceasefire breaches.
European leaders touted the pledge as a diplomatic breakthrough, and framed Washington’s willingness to participate as a significant convergence of US and EU positions after months of tensions. But progress may be limited: Moscow has already rejected the idea of European troops on Ukrainian soil, and the agreement says a response “may include” military action, rather than promising it.
“It’s Article 5 lite, not Article 5-like,” Euractiv said, referring to the NATO guarantee of mutual defense.