Ireland open to sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, PM says

Ireland is open to sending peacekeepers to Ukraine to monitor a potential ceasefire, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin told President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Irish Examiner newspaper reported on Feb. 27.

Zelensky's visit to Ireland came before his planned talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Feb. 28, where he is expected to sign a natural resources agreement with the U.S.

While Ireland maintains a policy of military neutrality and is not a NATO member, Dublin has provided over 380 million euros ($420 million) in humanitarian, economic, and non-lethal defense support to Ukraine.

The concept of a multinational peacekeeping force, spearheaded by the U.K. and France, has been floated as a potential security guarantee for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

Apart from Ireland, Switzerland and Turkey are also reportedly considering sending their troops to Ukraine. Russia opposed NATO peacekeepers in Ukraine, but Ireland and Switzerland are not members of the alliance, while Turkey maintains good bilateral relations with Moscow.

Previously, Zelensky said that European partners would need to station 100,000 to 150,000 soldiers in Ukraine to effectively deter Russia. The U.S. has ruled out sending its own troops while encouraging European allies to take the lead in securing Ukraine's post-war stability.

The U.K. and France are considering deploying a much smaller European-led peacekeeping force with up to 30,000 soldiers, the Telegraph reported. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Feb. 27 that London is ready "to put boots on the ground, planes in the air" to back a peace deal for Ukraine.

Apart from the U.K. and France, other countries remain cautious about sending their troops to Ukraine, citing concerns over the escalation and limited military resources, according to the Washington Post.