BRUSSELS, February 28. /TASS/. After the US refusal to take on new obligations to ensure its security, Ukraine considers pushing European countries to provide a "net of guarantees" of protection from Europe, the Euractiv portal reported with reference to Ukrainian officials.

Kiev’s main goal would be a European presence in Ukraine - a peacekeeping force backed by the US - to provide deterrence against Russia.

The portal said Ukraine’s request for a European peacekeeping force will be the hardest to negotiate as most questions about size and rules of engagement remain unanswered.

Ukrainian officials say European peacekeepers could, instead of directly monitoring the frontline, be stationed in key parts of the country protecting sea ports or critical infrastructure.

As part of so-called "hard guarantees", Kiev wants to focus on ramping up its own armed forces, and future NATO membership.

On the side of so-called "soft guarantees", Kiev hopes that foreign companies wanting to invest in the country - especially Americans and those from heavyweight European countries - would lobby their governments.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko earlier said that Russia opposes the idea of deploying European peacekeepers in Ukraine because it would be a step towards escalation.