Britain poised to send troops to Ukraine amid peace talks
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is prepared to deploy thousands of British soldiers to Ukraine. These troops from the UK may remain on Ukrainian territory for years. The forces are intended to maintain the ceasefire and prevent another Russian invasion, reports the British newspaper "The Times".
On Thursday, a meeting of defense chiefs from the so-called coalition of the willing, which includes countries ready to send their soldiers to Ukraine, will take place in London. During this meeting, the details regarding the deployment of peacekeeping forces are expected to be discussed.
The plan is to deploy up to 30,000 soldiers from several countries, including the UK, France, Turkey, Canada, and Australia. Other countries are prepared to assist with weapons and logistics, reports "The Times".
The "coalition of the willing" plans actions. Armies ready to protect peace in Ukraine
The prime minister, according to the newspaper, has so far refused to confirm whether these soldiers will be authorized to open fire against Russian soldiers in case of an attack. As the newspaper reports, the rules are likely to be discussed in the coming days.
Although many countries are ready to support Ukraine logistically and with weapons, Starmer emphasized that the UK will not deploy troops without security guarantees from the USA. President Donald Trump has so far refused such a guarantee, suggesting that economic agreements with Ukraine might be sufficient to deter Russia.
Plans are in place to implement a ceasefire "in the air and at sea," which will allow monitoring of potential violations by Russia. This would be followed by a full ceasefire covering land forces. Western troops would only be sent after the signing of peace agreements.
Russia has repeatedly emphasized that it will not accept the presence of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the decision to deploy troops in Ukraine belongs to Ukraine, not Russia.
During a press conference at Downing Street, Starmer emphasized that "the world needs to see action" and that during talks involving Macron and President Zelensky, new commitments regarding maintaining peace and increasing sanctions against Russia were made. The Prime Minister noted that Putin will have to negotiate sooner or later.
