French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will discuss the deployment of a postwar peacekeeping force in Ukraine when the two meet in Warsaw on December 12, according to two media outlets, the latest sign of a surge in diplomacy to end Europe's biggest war in decades.
Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis
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Polish outlet Rzeczpospolita, citing unidentified sources, reported that the two EU leaders are considering a 40,000-strong peacekeeping force that would be made up of troops from various countries.
Donald Trump's victory in the November 5 U.S. presidential election has set about a flurry of diplomacy in Europe to find an acceptable compromise on ending the war in Ukraine before he takes office on January 20.
Trump has claimed he could end the war in 24-hours, raising concern he could force Ukraine to concede territory to Russia among other concessions, endangering EU national security.
The United States plays a big role as it is Ukraine's largest supplier of military aid. Trump has threatened to curtail it if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy refuses to negotiate in good faith.
Tusk, a vocal supporter of Kyiv, said on December 10 that peace talks could start "in the winter," as Warsaw prepares to assume the European Union's rotating presidency on January 1.
Zelenskiy has demanded concrete Western security guarantees be part of any peace deal, arguing that Russia could invade again once it has rebuilt its forces.
The United States and Britain gave Ukraine vague security assurances in 1994 to persuade it to give up its nuclear weapons. However, neither nation came to Ukraine's defense when Russia invaded for the first time in 2014.
A 40,000-strong Western peacekeeping force would serve as a meaningful security guarantee while Ukraine waits to join NATO.
Diplomacy Overdrive
Diplomacy to end the nearly three-year Russian invasion has been in overdrive this month with Trump, Macron and Zelenskiy meeting in Paris on December 7 to discuss peace options.
Trump then met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been the loudest critic of Western support for Ukraine and the main spoiler of a united EU voice against the Kremlin.
Zelenskiy and Orban, took jabs at each other on social media on December 11 over negotiations and peace.
In a tweet, Orban said he had an hourlong phone call with Putin about the conditions for a cease-fire and peace talks with Ukraine. Zelenskiy shot back, accusing Orban of putting self-promotion over European unity.
SEE ALSO: Wider Europe Briefing: Orban Is Getting His Big Moment"Unity in Europe has always been key to achieving [success]. There can be no discussions about the war that Russia wages against Ukraine without Ukraine," Zelenskiy said in a reply to Orban's tweet.
The Hungarian leader punched back, calling it "sad" that Zelenskiy allegedly rejected a Christmas cease-fire and large-scale prisoner exchange.
Orban appeared to be referring to Zelenskiy's recent decree officially prohibiting Ukraine from engaging in peace talks with Russia.
Significant differences remain among Western diplomats over what a deal would look like, including whether to allow Russia to temporarily occupy Ukrainian territory, end sanctions on Russia, and offer Ukraine security guarantees.
SEE ALSO: Trump Has Sought Orban's Take On Ukraine War, Sources Tell RFE/RLFighting Rages
Both Ukraine and Russia have been seeking to strengthen their negotiating position ahead of Trump's return to the White House in January.
Russia has stepped up its drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure at the onset of winter to cause maximum discomfort, as outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces struggle to halt a grinding but steady Russian offensive in the east.
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Russian Strike On Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Leaves Dead, Wounded
Russian troops destroyed or captured several Ukrainian positions near the eastern city of Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian military said on December 11. The city is a key logistics hub and its fall would be a heavy blow to Ukraine.
Separately, at least eight Ukrainians were killed when a Russian missile struck a clinic in the southern city of Zaporizhzhya. At least 22 others, including a child, were injured. Rescue operations were still under way.
Zaporizhzhya has been regularly targeted by Russian missile and drone strikes. On December 6, 10 people were killed in a strike on the city.
Zelenskiy yesterday called on Kyiv's allies to provide 10-12 more Patriot air defense systems that he said are needed to fully protect Ukraine's skies.