UK persuades US to provide air defense for future peacekeeping forces in Ukraine – The Times
Photo: The UK persuades the US to provide air defense for peacekeepers in Ukraine (Getty Images)
The United Kingdom is persuading the United States to provide air cover for future peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. Air defense systems could be supplied in exchange for access to rare earth metals and minerals, The Times reports.
Sources in the British government indicate that the UK is trying to persuade the United States to send more air defense systems to Ukraine to help support a potential future peace agreement.
A senior UK government source stated that it is Ukraine's security guarantee and added that the US had not ruled out providing air cover.
The Times also recalls that last month, reports emerged that the United Kingdom and France were discussing the possibility of deploying troops to support a ceasefire in Ukraine if a peace agreement were reached.
However, the British government declined to speculate on the future last week, reaffirming its support for Ukraine.
Peacekeepers for Ukraine
Discussions about deploying peacekeepers to Ukraine have been ongoing for several months. Ukraine has addressed this issue with France and the United Kingdom, among others.
At the Munich Security Conference, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that a peacekeeping contingent could consist solely of Ukrainians. However, the key issue is armament.
According to Zelenskyy, the number of foreign personnel could reach up to 110,000. He also noted that the participation of maritime nations, such as the UK or Nordic countries, would be desirable.
The US Secretary of Defense recently ruled out the involvement of American troops in a peacekeeping mission, emphasizing that European forces should take on this role. According to Welt, European countries believe they could provide up to 25,000 peacekeepers for Ukraine.
