UK Prime Minister ready to send British troops to Ukraine in case of peace deal
Photo: Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister (Getty Images)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that he is ready and willing to deploy troops to Ukraine. This could happen to ensure the implementation of any peace agreement, The Telegraph reports.
The British prime minister noted that he did not take this decision lightly, as it could put British servicemen and women “in harm’s way”.
According to him, this, in particular, means a readiness and willingness to contribute to Ukraine's security by deploying British troops on the ground, if necessary.
“I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way,” Starmer said.
The British agency notes this is “the first time he has explicitly said he is considering deploying British peacekeepers to Ukraine.”
Starmer arrives at the meeting of European leaders in Paris
Starmer also reportedly arrived at an emergency summit with European leaders in Paris on Monday, which was convened by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron initiated the meeting after it emerged that European leaders were not invited to the first peace talks on Ukraine between the United States and Russia, and senior members of the administration of US President Donald Trump said that US security support for Europe would be reduced.
Pressure on allies in Europe and unique role of London
According to The Telegraph, Starmer's decision will put pressure on allies, particularly Germany, to publicly support the idea of sending European peacekeeping forces to Ukraine.
Starmer also suggested that the United Kingdom could play a “unique role” as a bridge between Europe and the United States in the peace process in Ukraine.
“The UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine. This includes further support for Ukraine’s military – where the UK has already committed £3 billion a year until at least 2030,” he wrote in his Telegraph article.
The British prime minister also emphasized that "any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent and the security of this country.”
“The end of this war, when it comes, cannot merely become a temporary pause before Putin attacks again,” Starmer said.
Starmer's decision may be related to the US statements at the Munich conference
According to the Telegraph, a source familiar with Sir Keir's thoughts said that "his decision to go public before the Paris meeting was in part a result of US statements at the Munich Security Conference last weekend, when US administration figures made it clear that Europe would have to play a greater role in its own defense."
In his Telegraph article, the British prime minister wrote: “These crucial days ahead will determine the future security of our continent.”
“As I will say in Paris, peace comes through strength. But the reverse is also true. Weakness leads to war. This is the moment for us all to step up – and the UK will do so, because it is the right thing to do for the values and freedoms we hold dear, and because it is fundamental to our own national security” Starmer said.
The Telegraph also writes that he plans to discuss any agreements that will be agreed upon following the talks in Paris with Trump in Washington, where the two leaders are scheduled to meet by the end of February.
Issue of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine
Discussions about the possible deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine after the ceasefire under the agreements between Kyiv and Moscow to prevent further military aggression by Russia have been going on for several months.
As President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated, a million-strong army is needed to deter Russia, and the number of foreign troops will depend on the number of troops in the Armed Forces. Yesterday, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy said that the peacekeeping contingent could consist only of Ukrainians, adding that the main issue was the issue of weapons.
Earlier, the head of the Pentagon ruled out the participation of US troops in such a peacekeeping mission, but recently US Vice President J.D. Vance said that it was still possible. Washington insists that Europe should send peacekeepers to Ukraine.
According to Welt, Europe believes it can provide up to 25,000 peacekeepers to Ukraine. On February 15, The Associated Press reported that Europe was secretly developing a plan to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.
