EU eyes multinational postwar force in Ukraine vs US DMZ plan

European capitals are drawing up detailed plans to deploy a multinational force to Ukraine after the war, backed by U.S. military capabilities, even as a controversial U.S. proposal for a demilitarized zone to freeze the conflict has heightened tensions between Washington, Kyiv and key European allies. The competing ideas, discussed in recent weeks by senior officials and diplomats, expose a growing split over who would shoulder the long‑term security burden for a war-torn Ukraine and how to prevent renewed hostilities.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in a recent interview that member states are developing a roadmap for postconflict deployments that would be supported by U.S. control, command, intelligence and surveillance assets. She said the political decision to take part would remain with individual countries and that discussions were moving forward with urgency. European capitals have discussed options for a European-led force numbering potentially in the tens of thousands, backed by American capabilities rather than large U.S. ground contingents, diplomats said.

At the same time, U.S. officials have floated a plan centered on a demilitarized zone...