The UK would be “ready and willing” to deploy British troops to Ukraine as part of a possible peace deal, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, 62, said on Sunday (16 February), Newsweek reported.
Starmer said in an article in the UK newspaper The Telegraph that Europe “is facing a generational moment for the collective security of our continent.” He stressed that the war that Russia started almost three years ago is a major threat not only to Ukraine but to the whole of Europe.
Why It Matters
The announcement marks a significant shift in NATO ally UK’s position on direct military involvement. According to Ukrainian officials, Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks between Russia and the United States aimed at ending the war, from which Ukraine has been excluded.
PM Starmer said the UK was “prepared to play a leading role” in working on security guarantees for Ukraine, pledging more military aid beyond the £3 billion ($3.7 billion) per year already pledged until at least 2030.
Prime Minister Starmer said that, however, would mean the UK being ready and willing to contribute to Ukraine’s security guarantee by keeping its own troops on the ground if necessary.
Sturmer has emphasized the importance of securing a lasting peace in Ukraine, saying it is crucial to preserving Ukraine’s independence and deterring future Russian aggression.
On 13 February, Starmer said the UK would be prepared to take steps to enforce any future peace settlement with Russia, but at the time stopped short of explicitly committing to the deployment of British troops to its peacekeeping operations in Ukraine.
The prime minister added that he would not enter into special powers, but he recognized that, if there was to be peace, there would need to be some form of security guarantee for Ukraine and that the UK would play its part in that.
In his article for The Telegraph, PM Starmer said the UK must play its part to ensure Putin can’t launch any further attacks after the Russia-Ukraine war ends.
The UK PM says he does not say this lightly. He felt very keenly that the duty potentially put British servicemen and women in harm’s way. He feels that any role in helping to ensure the security of Ukraine is helping to ensure the security of their continent and the security of this country.
According to Starmer, if the war ends, it shouldn’t just be a temporary pause before Putin’s next attack.
According to Newsweek, Washington has said the United States will not deploy troops to Ukraine, pointing to differences of opinion among Kyiv’s key NATO allies.
On February 12, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement, and instead, security guarantees must be supported by capable European and non-European troops.”
What Happens Next
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday where Russian and US officials are expected to discuss peace in the nearly three-year conflict.
Ukraine has expressed frustration at the withdrawal from talks of aspirations to shape its own future. According to Newsweek, conflict watchers worry President Donald Trump could strike a deal with Putin that could force Ukraine to abandon hopes of joining NATO and give up its current territory, effectively capitulating to Moscow’s demands.
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