Spain indicates possible troop deployment to Ukraine for first time

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said for the first time that Madrid may send troops to join a post-ceasefire peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.

As reported by Spanish news agency EFE, after the latest Coalition of the Willing meeting in Paris, Sánchez said he will begin a series of meetings with representatives of most parliamentary groups from next Monday to discuss Spain's potential contribution to the peace process in Ukraine.

He said Spain, "as a great European country", will take part in shaping decisions once a ceasefire is reached and when conditions allow for a sustainable peace in Ukraine.

Sánchez said this contribution should cover both reconstruction efforts and "military capabilities".

Asked whether he envisages the possibility of Spanish service members participating in a potential international peacekeeping mission, Sánchez said Spain has demonstrated similar steps "in other parts of the world".

"If we did it in other parts of the world, why not do it in Europe?" he said.

Sánchez had previously said it was still premature to talk about the presence of Spanish troops in Ukraine. Meanwhile, such a decision would require the support of the Congress of Deputies, the lower chamber of the parliament.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Canada could potentially deploy its troops to Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany could monitor compliance with a ceasefire regime in Ukraine if one is reached.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron alongside Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a declaration of intent to deploy troops in Ukraine if a peace agreement is concluded.