Britain ready to deploy peacekeepers in Ukraine - PM Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed that British troops are ready to take part in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine after the war, he said in a comment to Sky News during a visit to Kyiv.
Starmer noted that he did not want to "get ahead of ourselves," but assured that the UK would play a "full part" in any peace talks, including by deploying British troops to maintain peace.
"It's about what the impact is back in the United Kingdom and our values, our freedom, our democracy. Because if Russia succeeds in this aggression, it will impact all of us for a very, very long time," the British premier said.
Western troops in Ukraine
Back in February 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron, at a meeting of Kyiv's partner countries in Paris that he convened, discussed sending French troops to Ukraine. However, the states did not reach a consensus on this issue.
In November of the same year, the French newspaper Le Monde wrote that some European leaders had returned to the discussion about the possible sending of Western troops to Ukraine due to the potential refusal of newly elected US President Donald Trump to provide assistance to Kyiv.
Meanwhile, American media outlets were spreading a plan to resolve the war in Ukraine, allegedly proposed by advisers to the newly elected US president.
In particular, it envisages the creation of a demilitarized zone on the frozen front line between Russia and Ukraine, and security there will be guaranteed by the troops of European countries.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that partner troops in Ukraine could be one of the best tools to force Russia to peace. However, he stressed that a European peacekeeping mission should not replace Ukraine's NATO membership.
Earlier, Italy and Germany conveyed their readiness to send peacekeepers. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius noted that Russia should also agree to a European peacekeeping mission.
At the same time, Poland announced that it does not plan to send its troops to Ukraine.
Starmer's visit to Ukraine
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Kyiv on January 16 for an unannounced visit, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This is his first trip to Ukraine since taking office.
Following a meeting between the Ukrainian president and the British PM, Ukraine and the United Kingdom signed a 100-year agreement covering military cooperation, partnership in the energy sector, and other areas.
The British government has also promised to deliver 15 new Gravehawk mobile air defense systems, developed with joint funding from Denmark, to Ukraine in 2025. The country will also continue training the Ukrainian military.
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