Retired US General Ben Hodges has warned that a proposed Anglo-French-led “coalition of the willing” must deploy thousands of combat-ready troops to Ukraine to effectively deter Russia from violating a potential post-war ceasefire. He emphasized that the multinational force needs robust rules of engagement to respond immediately to provocations, such as drone strikes, without waiting for authorization from London or Paris. While the UK and France have discussed a stabilization force of 10,000 to 15,000 personnel to protect military hubs, other allies like the US, Poland, and Germany have declined to provide ground forces. Hodges argued that anything less than a credible, serious military presence would fail to dissuade the Kremlin, which he believes cannot be trusted to uphold any peace agreement.
Date: January 8, 2026. Source: theguardian.com