UK ready to deploy 10,000 troops to Ukraine - The Times

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said this at a meeting of the leaders of the “coalition of the willing” on Saturday, March 15. According to the sources, the final number of foreign troops for Ukraine will definitely exceed the 10,000 people that Britain is ready to send.

Also, two minehunter ships, the transfer of which to the Ukrainian Navy was announced by the UK, are also ready for deployment. The ships are ready to be sent to the Black Sea, but Ukraine cannot receive them because the Bosporus Strait is closed.

Senior government sources said that Britain has managed to secure the support of “considerably more” countries than the three that supported the deployment of ground troops in the past. Although the bulk of the forces are likely to come from Britain and France.

“It will be a significant force with a significant number of countries providing troops and a much larger group contributing in other ways,” the source told The Times.

About 35 countries agreed at a meeting on Saturday to provide weapons, logistics, and intelligence support to a potential peacekeeping mission.

A peacekeeping mission for Ukraine

The UK and France have led efforts to create and secure a possible peacekeeping mission for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. The UK initiated a “coalition of the willing” to gather countries that are ready to join.

Earlier, the media reported that Türkiye is also ready to send troops to Ukraine.

A virtual summit of the “coalition of the willing” was held yesterday, March 15. According to Keir Starmer, military officials will meet in the UK next week to discuss the practical aspects of a possible peace agreement on Ukraine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Ukraine seeks to expand discussions on foreign troops not only on the ground, but also in the air and at sea.