Turkey, which has the second-largest army in NATO after the United States, is ready to provide troops to peacekeepers in Ukraine, according to knowledgeable sources cited by Bloomberg.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the issue with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during separate meetings in Ankara earlier this month.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would support European allies participating in a peacekeeping force and providing security guarantees to Ukraine, while ruling out a direct U.S. role.

Therefore, considering Turkey to help monitor a possible ceasefire is crucial to ease the burden on European allies, including the United Kingdom and France, which are drawing up plans for a European-led force for Ukraine.

France and the United Kingdom have said they are prepared to deploy troops to Ukraine as part of a package of security guarantees aimed at ensuring any peace deal is preserved, provided the United States provides a backstop and supports the initiative. | BGNES