Keir Starmer has confirmed he could send British troops to Ukraine to keep the peace if a deal is signed – and is “ready and willing” to do so.
The announcement is the first time the Prime Minister has suggested that UK troops may be deployed to the under siege nation. It comes hours before a crucial defence meeting with other European leaders in Paris on Monday.
Keir Starmer will attend the meeting tomorrow, called by Emmanuel Macron, as concerns grow among European leaders about Donald Trump’s plans to negotiate a peace deal with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine. Many fear the settlement will result in Russia keeping the territory it currently holds after three years of fighting, and will not involve any US troops being deployed on peacekeeping missions – something which will be seen as a geopolitical victory for the Kremlin.
At the Paris talks, Britain is expected to encourage other nations – including Germany – to help form a joint European taskforce of troops should a deal be reached over Ukraine. The UK will also continue to provide support to the Ukrainian military.
Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Starmer said: “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. But it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary.”
He also wrote that Britain’s decision to take a leading role in security of Ukraine is because it is the “right thing to do for the values and freedoms we hold dear” and “is fundamental to our own national security”. Keir Starmer will also be meeting US President Donald Trump in the coming days, and said he will be “working with him and all our G7 partners to help secure the strong deal we need”.
This is a breaking news story. Follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , Twitter , Facebook or visit The Mirror homepage.
Leading new stories from around the globe