The Prime Minister of the UK is Prepared to Deploy Peacekeeping Troops to Ukraine
Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that any resolution to Russia’s war in Ukraine should not simply be a temporary ceasefire before further aggression from Putin.
Starmer stated that the UK is willing to deploy troops to Ukraine if necessary to enforce a potential peace agreement that halts Russian hostilities against Ukraine.
“I do not say that lightly,” he remarked. “But any contribution to ensuring Ukraine’s security is also safeguarding the security of our continent and our nation.”
Starmer stressed that an end to the conflict in Ukraine must not be a brief hiatus before further aggression from Putin. The UK has committed £3 billion per year to support the Ukrainian military until at least 2030.
He mentioned plans to meet with President Donald Trump to discuss the crucial role the US must play in securing long-term peace in Ukraine. Starmer also highlighted the UK’s unique position to facilitate cooperation between the US and Europe.
“We are facing an unprecedented moment for the collective security of our continent,” he expressed. “This is not just about Ukraine’s future but a fundamental issue for all of Europe.”
He made these statements ahead of an emergency summit with European leaders to address the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The summit, hosted by France, will include Starmer and the leaders of Germany, Poland, Italy, Denmark, the EU leadership, and NATO’s secretary-general.
“Ultimately, when real negotiations take place—though we aren’t there yet—Ukraine must be included as they were the ones invaded, and Europe must also participate due to their sanctions on Putin and Russia,” he explained. “We are not at that stage yet.”
Rubio mentioned that Putin had expressed a desire for peace during a recent call with Trump, who emphasized his commitment to ending the conflict while safeguarding Ukrainian sovereignty. Rubio highlighted that Russia’s actions moving forward will indicate its sincerity in pursuing peace.
Meetings between US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia are expected in the upcoming days to further peace talks, as stated by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas). McCaul expressed on Feb. 15 that these talks aim to arrange a meeting involving Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy to ultimately bring an end to the conflict and establish peace.
Jacob Burg and Reuters contributed to this report.