Europe does not possess thousands of ballistic or cruise missiles or tens of thousands of strike drones that could serve as an independent deterrent against Russia. Therefore, without US security commitments, the deployment of European units in Ukraine is unlikely, says Colonel Markus Reisner, head of the Officer Training Institute at the Theresian Military Academy, UkrInform reports.
“From the perspective of purely conventional capabilities, Europe does not have sufficient means to strategically deter Russia without US involvement,” Reisner emphasizes.
The US is a key factor for multinational forces in Ukraine
Reisner stresses that US participation is decisive for the willingness of European states to deploy multinational forces after a ceasefire.
“Until the US confirms its commitments, no deployment will have a fully credible deterrent effect on Russia,” he says.
Without American assurances, the expert emphasizes, Europe is not ready to move forward, and any European commitments remain incomplete, especially if Russia views European troops as legitimate military targets.
“As long as the US response remains uncertain, all European promises remain in a state of suspension,” Reisner underlines.
Limits of European capacity and challenges for future missions
From the standpoint of conventional military capability, Europe currently lacks sufficient means to effectively deter Russia. Any deployment based on bilateral agreements between Ukraine and individual countries would require national ratification, complicating the process.
Reisner adds that there is still no clear agreement on the future deployment of European troops, and serious doubts remain about the willingness of Western states to fight Russia in the event of renewed escalation.
At the same time, he calls the tripartite declaration by Ukraine, France, and the UK on intentions to deploy multinational forces is an important step and demonstrates a certain level of European readiness to act.
