British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made it clear that his country will be ready to deploy its peacekeeping forces in Ukraine if necessary, Sky News reports.
Starmer stressed that the Russian invasion is not only about "sovereignty in Ukraine" but also about the impact in also had on the UK, including the cost of living crisis.
The prime minister said he did not want "to get ahead of ourselves" but that the UK would play its "full part" in any peace negotiations — including by deploying British troops for peacekeeping.
"Well, I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but I do have indicated that we will play our full part — because this isn't just about sovereignty in Ukraine. 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," Starmer said.
The British Prime Minister also expressed support for Ukraine's accession to NATO.
- Ukraine is discussing the "French initiative on peacekeeping contingents" with its partners, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 16 January following talks with Keir Starmer.
- The day before, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said that if Ukraine sent a request to Lithuania to deploy Western troops on its territory, including Lithuanian troops, Vilnius would agree.
- In February last year, French President Emmanuel Macron made a statement that sparked a heated debate, particularly in the EU. It was about sending Western troops to Ukraine.
- The then head of the British government, Boris Johnson, supported this idea. Germany, on the other hand, opposed it.
- Later, information emerged that, in addition to sending "state" troops, the allies were considering private armies as an option.
- Discussions in Europe on this issue intensified before the US presidential election, as European partners feared a reduction or termination of US military assistance to Ukraine.