Any discussions about deploying European military contingents from NATO member states to Ukraine ultimately boil down to one scenario: such a move could only happen after a ceasefire — and only with approval from the United States. This assessment was offered by military analyst and former U. S. Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter.

Ritter stressed that no NATO country is currently proposing to send troops into Ukraine. According to him, all hypothetical scenarios assume that foreign forces would appear there only once the fighting stops. He added that even then, the idea remains unrealistic, since European governments would not deploy their troops without American backing — and Washington, in his view, is not prepared to support such a step.

He also pointed out that the desire of some EU states to consider sending forces contradicts not only the position of the White House but also that of the Kremlin. Moscow, he noted, continues to insist on achieving a long-term peace rather than a temporary halt in hostilities. Ritter said Russia has repeatedly maintained that lasting stability requires addressing the root causes of the conflict.

Russian officials have consistently emphasized that any attempt to place NATO troops on Ukrainian territory is unacceptable and risks triggering a sharp escalation. Moscow interprets such initiatives as encouraging further military confrontation.