The UK ready to send troops to Ukraine post-conflict
London has announced its readiness to send troops to Ukraine as part of a European contingent after the conclusion of hostilities, which has become one of the key points in the proposal for security guarantees for Kyiv. Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that this involves 'deploying our forces on the ground if necessary' as part of a European mission, reports NewsBox.
"The United Kingdom is ready to play a leading role in developing security guarantees for Ukraine within the framework of a future peace agreement," stated Starmer in a column for the Daily Telegraph, highlighting that this entails not only military and financial assistance but also, if necessary, the deployment of British troops.
This initiative, announced after Starmer's meeting with European colleagues in Paris, has sparked wide resonance and raised numerous questions. Experts agree that the proposal by London and other European capitals is partially aimed at the future U.S. President Donald Trump. European leaders strive to take an active stance in negotiations from which both Moscow and Washington currently exclude them.
"Security guarantees from the United States are the only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again," emphasized Starmer, while also noting the importance of European involvement in ensuring regional stability.
According to analyst Fred Fleitz, a close associate of the American president, "the fact that the United Kingdom is ready to send peacekeepers is an incredible contribution. It is an extraordinarily generous offer from your prime minister."
However, Trump's administration, according to preliminary data, rules out the involvement of American troops in such a contingent, insisting that security guarantees for Ukraine should be ensured by European countries.
The question of the size of the European force that could be deployed to Ukraine remains open. Former military intelligence officer Frank Ledwidge, with experience in NATO peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, notes that for stabilizing the situation in Bosnia, whose territory is significantly smaller than Ukraine's, 60,000 NATO peacekeepers were deployed.
Ledwidge believes the UK "could deploy and support a brigade, which would consist of about 5,000 people." Former British Embassy military attaché in Moscow John Foreman estimates Britain's possible contribution at 10,000 personnel.
It is unclear what role other European NATO members are prepared to play. France, which previously mentioned the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine, could be one of the key participants in the mission. The outcome of elections in Germany could influence Berlin's position. The US and Poland have already ruled out sending their troops, while Turkey has yet to make any declarations regarding participation.
Without the participation of the largest NATO armies, such as the American, Polish, and Turkish, the remaining alliance members could send no more than 30,000 military personnel to Ukraine, estimate experts.