The British Army is too small to play any major peacekeeping role in Ukraine, military figures have suggested.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed he is in talks with Britain, France, Poland and Baltic States over a plan to enforce any future ceasefire in the war-torn country.
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer signed a 100-year deal with Ukraine on Thursday that could put forces on Putin’s borders – as he said there are ‘unbreakable bonds’ between the UK and Ukraine.
The deal may result in UK forces being deployed to help police a future peace deal between warring Russia and Ukraine, the Prime Minister said.
Sir Keir declared ‘nothing is off the table’ in the UK’s hopes for ‘just and lasting’ peace.
In an interview in Kyiv, he told The Sun: ‘If there are to be security guarantees of some sort, the UK will play its part.’
The idea to deploy soldiers comes as European leaders prepare for a shift in US policy under Donald Trump, who returns to the White House on Monday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shake hands after a signing ceremony
Sir Keir signed a 100-year deal with Ukraine on Thursday that could put forces on Putin’s borders
Sir Keir and Zelensky shake hands after a signing of a 100-year partnership agreement on Thursday
Military experts previously warned that the UK’s armed forces are stretched thin (File image)
During his campaign, Mr Trump promised to push for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, although he has since tempered his initial pledge to end the war on ‘day one’.
His incoming team warned it is not ‘realistic to say we’re going to expel every Russian from every inch of Ukrainian soil’.
However, President Volodymyr Zelensky is looking for security guarantees such as Nato membership before agreeing to enter negotiations.
The Kremlin says it is open to a meeting between Putin and Trump.
The UK has so far provided £12.8billion in support of Ukraine, including £7.8billion in military assistance.
Military experts previously warned that the UK’s armed forces are stretched thin, while any troop deployment could escalate tensions with Moscow.
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a leading defence think tank, has also raised concerns about the feasibility of a Western-led peacekeeping mission without US involvement.
A peacekeeping mission would likely place further strain on the UK’s defence budget, with the Ministry of Defence already facing financial pressures.
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