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Luxembourg to not send troops to Ukraine, but to help in space – Foreign Minister

Luxembourg will not send troops to Ukraine, but is ready to join in supporting international forces in the field of satellite communications, said the country's Foreign Minister, Xavier Bettel.

"We have a very small army, we have less than 1,000 people, and, to be very frank, it could be symbolic - to say that we sent someone, but now my government no longer supports boots on the ground but boots in space. Because if there are military actions and the presence of European or international forces, or the Coalition of the Willing, they will also need telecommunications, and through satellites Luxembourg can provide satellite communications," he said at a press conference in Odesa on Tuesday.

The minister also added that the country is ready to send its own communications specialists if necessary.

Bettel also stressed the importance of humanitarian demining assistance.

"I am also the Minister of Humanitarian Aid. And I decided that this is one of the most important things for me. So it is materials, but also training people on how to demine. Your country, I'm sorry to say this, I have been to Cambodia and Vietnam. They are still suffering 40 years later from mines that were planted. And I don't want your country to have victims for the next 40 or 50 years from mines planted by the enemy. And this is one of the biggest efforts, but we could talk about military aid, about humanitarian aid, and so on," he said.

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