British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted on deploying British troops in Ukraine, suggesting that putting “boots on the ground” would help facilitate the peace process.
The United States has recently initiated peace talks with Russia, sidelining both the European Union and the United Kingdom.
Starmer met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, where both leaders discussed a plan to achieve an enduring peace in Ukraine.
“The European countries, including the United Kingdom, need to play a full part in that,” Starmer said in an interview aired shortly after his meeting with Trump.
London will play “a leading part,” he insisted, whether through “troops on the ground… or possible air, maritime work” together with the EU.
The UK and France have previously stated that they are prepared to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine to secure any peace agreement with Russia.
However, Trump has refused to guarantee support for British forces should the UK decide to send troops to Ukraine.
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The US president has made it clear to the EU and NATO allies that Washington has no intention of deploying troops in support of any EU-led peacekeeping mission, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin is far more reliable compared to “the dictator Zelensky.”
Trump has stated, “He trusted Putin for not breaching the eventual peace agreement.”
Meanwhile, Moscow has warned that any foreign troop deployment under the pretext of maintaining peace and freezing hostilities would be met with a military response, adding that without a UN mandate, such forces would be considered legitimate targets.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said the idea of deploying foreign troops to Ukraine is being pushed primarily by France and Britain, claiming that it is an attempt to “further fuel the conflict and stop any attempts to cool it down.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry has also accused the EU and UK of embarking “on a path of militarism.”
Britain has been a firm supporter of Ukraine since the conflict escalated three years ago, providing substantial military aid and enforcing stringent sanctions against Russia.
As of February 2025, London has committed nearly $10 billion in military assistance to Kyiv.
Also read: Zelenskyy should apologise for Oval Office clash: Rubio
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