Peace is often seen as the ultimate goal in any conflict, but achieving it is rarely simple.
The war in Ukraine has devastated communities, destabilized the region, and sparked a global conversation about what it would take to secure lasting stability.
As international leaders debate potential solutions, one Austrian military expert suggests that the scale of the challenge may be far greater than many imagine.
Colonel Markus Reisner of the Austrian Armed Forces believes a massive peacekeeping force of 100,000 to 150,000 armed soldiers would be required to stabilize Ukraine.
Difficult to Muster Troops
In an interview with Welt am Sonntag, Reisner explained:
“A force of up to 150,000 soldiers would be needed to ensure the success of a peace mission in Ukraine.”
He emphasized that such a force would be critical for tasks like demining along the front lines and ensuring ceasefire compliance.
Deploying fewer troops, Reisner warned, would increase the likelihood of ceasefire violations and undermine the mission’s effectiveness.
However, the challenge isn’t just in numbers.
Reisner pointed out that major European powers — Germany, France, the UK, and Italy — could only muster between 25,000 and 50,000 soldiers collectively, raising logistical and political concerns about their ability to lead such an operation.
Meanwhile, skepticism remains high among those on the ground. Ukrainian Colonel Serhii Osaciuk, who commands border troops on the eastern front, called peace plans “illusions.”
He told Agerpres according to Ziare:
“We see no indication that the enemy, Russia, intends to halt its military operations.”
Osaciuk described the eastern front as the most intense battlefield in the war, marked by relentless attacks and heavy shelling.
