A radical proposal: We, heavy weapons and these 10 European countries

Neither Moscow nor Ukraine, almost three years after the start of the invasion on February 24, 2022, is close to a military triumph. Instead, the most likely outcome appears to be a hastily agreed 1,287 kilometer long demilitarized border that would separate the warring parties.

Such an arrangement will be a bitter pill for Ukrainian political officials and citizens, as freezing the conflict on current lines would mean handing over 20 percent of the war-ravaged country to Russia.

In exchange for accepting such a solution, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will insist, as reported by Jutarnji list of the British Telegraph, on the establishment of a multinational force that would oversee perhaps the most fragile peace agreement to date.

This task should primarily fall into the hands of European countries, as American Defense Minister Pete Hegseth stated recently at the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

European leaders have found themselves in a frantic search for a joint response to Trump's decision to open negotiations with Putin and all that follows, including security guarantees to ensure lasting peace in Ukraine.

The first to declare readiness to send troops as part of a potential agreement was British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

French officials, on the other hand, proposed the possibility of "reassurance" forces that would be deployed in Ukraine behind the battlefield, in order to dissuade Putin from a new attack.

Then, they meet

When Europe's most powerful leaders met in Paris on Monday to discuss the possibility of a peacekeeping force, it became clear that they were deeply divided.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, often criticized for his leniency, condemned the talks about sending troops as "completely premature" and "extremely inappropriate", stressing that these discussions "even irritate him a little". Scholz then left the meeting early.

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Italy and Spain have also expressed doubts about sending European soldiers to Ukraine. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said that sending troops is the "most complex and least effective" method of keeping the peace.

And Poland quickly rejected the idea, with its Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressing that defending NATO's eastern flank is a priority for his government.

A glimmer of hope

But as it goes on, there is a glimmer of hope for a UK-led initiative.

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a coalition of ten northern European NATO nations, could offer a solution.

Apart from the UK, the JEF includes Norway, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Lithuania, Denmark, Iceland and the Netherlands.

Most of their political officials have basically signaled their readiness to send soldiers to Ukraine in some way.

By teaming up with France, the JEF countries could assemble a new expeditionary force of 40,000 to 50,000 soldiers who would participate in the implementation of the French concept of a "reassurance" mission.

Located behind, rather than on the front line, these "peacekeeping forces" would have the task of reacting quickly to any possible new Russian attempt to renew the war.

Michael Coffman, a senior analyst at the Carnegie Endowment and one of the most trusted military experts, said: "These forces do not need to be everywhere - it is enough to be deployed in the country with battalions on four operational lines, with sufficient mobility to move quickly along the front line if necessary."

The most likely points of Russian attack would be the regions of Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporozhye.

Any European unit stationed in Ukraine would have to be heavily armed – Challenger 2 and Leopard 2 main battle tanks, heavy artillery and attack helicopters would likely be an integral part of this force.

In addition to heavy weapons and firepower, the force would have to be highly mobile to cover a potential 800-mile demilitarized zone.

Great Britain could also be ready to deploy 20,000 troops, supported by commandos and reservists.

Each participating country would likely be called upon to contribute a number of troops and equipment commensurate with the size of its armed forces.

However, such a force would take months to prepare, and the UK and other countries would have to rely on reserves to ensure that their own territorial security and past commitments are not compromised.