The UK is "ready and willing" to deploy its peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, stated Prime Minister Starmer.
He stated this in his article for the Telegraph publication.
He emphasized that he made this decision "not thoughtlessly," and noted that the United Kingdom is prepared to take a "leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine."
This includes further support for Ukrainian military forces, for which London has already allocated £3 billion per year until 2030.
"But this also means readiness and willingness to contribute to ensuring security guarantees for Ukraine by deploying our troops on the ground if necessary. I do not say this lightly and feel the responsibility associated with the threat to British servicemen. However, any role in ensuring Ukraine's security is a contribution to the security of our continent and the safety of that country," Starmer noted.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom also added that the end of this war "cannot just be a temporary pause before Putin attacks again."
Peacekeepers for Ukraine
Back in February 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the deployment of his troops to Ukraine during a meeting he convened with partner countries of Kyiv to discuss sending their troops to Ukraine. However, the states did not reach a consensus on this issue.
In November, the French publication Le Monde reported that some European leaders had returned to the discussion about the possible deployment of Western troops to Ukraine due to the potential refusal of newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump to assist Kyiv.
There were talks about the readiness to send peacekeepers from Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. However, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius noted that the coordination of a European peacekeeping mission should also involve Russia. At the same time, Poland stated that they do not plan to send their troops.
American media circulated a plan by Trump's advisors for resolving the war in Ukraine, which includes the establishment of a demilitarized zone along the frozen front line between Russia and Ukraine, with security guaranteed by troops from European countries.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that partner troops in Ukraine could become one of the best tools to compel Russia to peace. However, he emphasized that the European peacekeeping mission should not replace Ukraine's NATO membership.