Paris: On Thursday, the leaders of France and Poland will hold discussions focused on Ukraine, including the possibility of sending European troops as a security guarantee if a peace deal with Russia is reached. With the new Trump presidency approaching, European powers are eager to show their commitment to sharing the responsibility of ending the nearly three-year war in Ukraine.

Trump has made it clear that he will advocate for an immediate ceasefire and push for peace talks to resolve the conflict. He has also criticized European allies for not meeting NATO's defense spending target of 2% of their GDP.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a strong supporter of Ukraine, will host French President Emmanuel Macron in Warsaw for the talks. According to a French diplomatic source, Ukraine’s defense and readiness for negotiations with Russia will be central to their discussions.

One key topic is the potential deployment of European troops to Ukraine if a ceasefire and peace agreement are reached. This would serve as a bilateral security guarantee, as Ukraine is unlikely to join NATO in the near future. Such a move would also demonstrate Europe's willingness to engage directly with Trump on this issue.

France and the UK have already explored sending European troops to Ukraine, and discussions have also taken place between Ukraine and Baltic and Scandinavian nations. While no consensus exists among European nations, the goal would be to form a coalition of 5-8 countries willing to act independently of NATO.

Though no formal proposals have been made yet, Poland is not expected to send troops at this stage. Macron first raised the idea in February, but it was rejected by Germany. Earlier plans to send non-combat troops for training or border control also fell through.

One short-term solution under consideration is revisiting the idea of non-combat troops, with a senior European official emphasizing the necessity of European involvement in securing Ukraine after the war.

Finance and foreign ministers from France, Germany, and Poland will also meet on Thursday to discuss enhancing financial and military support for Ukraine and exploring new defense financing options, including common debt. A Polish government source indicated that since Trump’s election, European allies have come to understand the need for greater financial contributions to defense.