Thousands of Foreign Troops to be Deployed in Ukraine, Says Zelensky

Within the framework of Ukraine's security guarantees, discussions are underway regarding the deployment of thousands of foreign troops in the country. This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a joint press conference with European Council President Antonio Costa, as reported by Reuters.

“I won’t speak about the numbers, but it is important that we are discussing all of this. Yes, it will definitely be thousands. And that is a fact, but it is still too early to talk about it,” Zelensky stated.

He also emphasized that Kyiv is hearing signals from Moscow indicating their acceptance of Ukraine's membership in the European Union. “It is regrettable that they are acknowledging this reality so late,” he noted.

In turn, Antonio Costa stated that despite Hungary's veto, negotiations for Ukraine’s EU membership are ongoing and should continue. “We should not wait for Hungary, because Ukraine’s future is in the EU, that is indisputable,” the European Council President said.

It should be recalled that the EU has been unable to start membership negotiations with Ukraine solely due to Hungary’s stance, as Budapest has vetoed the start of negotiations. Meanwhile, Lithuania recently proposed a plan to initiate membership negotiations without Hungary's consent.