European negotiators have endorsed a proposal to cap the size of Ukraine’s armed forces at 800,000 troops, setting out a counter-offer during ongoing peace talks in Geneva.
The figure sharply contrasts with the 600,000-troop limit outlined in former U.S. president Donald Trump’s 28-point peace plan unveiled on Friday. Even under the proposed reduction, Ukraine would retain one of the world’s largest standing armies; Kyiv’s current force is estimated at roughly 850,000 personnel.
The negotiations mark a significant shift from earlier discussions in Istanbul three years ago, when Moscow pushed for Ukraine to accept a peacetime force of just 85,000 soldiers.
European officials are now seeking to secure more advantageous terms for Kyiv as pressure mounts from Washington for Ukraine to relinquish substantial territory to Russia.
The latest developments follow comments made by Mr. Trump on Truth Social on Sunday, where he accused Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky of showing “zero gratitude” for his proposed peace initiative. Photo by President.gov.ua, Wikimedia commons.