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Zelenskiy claims that thousands of troops may be deployed in Ukraine as part of security guarantees

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said that thousands of troops may be sent to Ukraine as part the security guarantees offered by allies after Russia's war against his country is over.

On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 countries have pledged to provide Ukraine with post-war security guarantees including an international force on the land, sea and air.

Macron said initially that these countries would deploy to Ukraine but later stated that some would provide guarantees whilst remaining outside Ukraine. For example, by helping train and equip Kyiv’s forces.

Zelenskiy told reporters after a meeting with Antonio Costa, President of the European Council in Uzhhorod, western Ukraine.

In response to a question from a journalist, he said that it was still too early to make any specific comments.

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, said that on Friday any Western troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets of Moscow's attack.

Zelenskiy told Uzhhorod that he and Costa had "coordinated" their actions in Ukraine's EU accession negotiations.

Kyiv considers that EU membership is crucial to its recovery and security after the war.

Zelenskiy also had a meeting with Robert Fico, the Slovak prime minister, on Friday. In Copenhagen, Roman Andarak, the deputy energy minister said that Zelenskiy would be meeting Fico to discuss a gradual phase out of Russian oil supplies via Ukraine.

Slovakia relies heavily on oil supplies from Russia via Druzhba, whose infrastructure Ukrainian drones attacked, causing frequent disruptions of supply which angered Bratislava.

Fico met Putin in Beijing on Tuesday and stated that Bratislava is looking to normalize relations with Moscow.

Ukraine has called on other countries not to buy Russian oil in order to deny Moscow the funds it needs to fund its war.

According to a White House spokesperson, U.S. president Donald Trump told European leaders that they should stop buying Russian oil on Thursday.

(source: Reuters)