UK ready to send peacekeepers to Ukraine — UK PM

Keir Starmer announced this in his article for The Telegraph.

According to the British Prime Minister, they are ready to take a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine. This includes financial aid and the deployment of peacekeeping troops.

“I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way. But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent and the security of this country. The end of this war, when it comes, cannot merely become a temporary pause before Putin attacks again,” Starmer’s statement reads.

The Telegraph notes that this is the first time a British prime minister has directly stated that they are willing to deploy British peacekeepers to Ukraine.

Keir Starmer will attend an emergency summit of European leaders in Paris on February 17. According to media reports, the meeting will discuss, among other things, Ukraine's automatic accession to NATO in case of a Russian breach of the ceasefire.

Peacekeeping troops in Ukraine

At the end of January, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that at least 200,000 peacekeepers would be needed to secure Ukraine after the cessation of hostilities. Later, the president clarified that among the peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, there should be U.S. military personnel.

On February 11, the NYT reported that there are no 200,000 peacekeepers in Europe who could be sent to Ukraine. This is almost three times the size of the entire British army. On the same day, Zelenskyy said that the mission would work if 100,000 to 150,000 European troops were deployed.

According to AP, a group of European countries is secretly developing a plan to send troops to Ukraine. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had previously confirmed that partners are already working on the idea of a peacekeeping mission.