- U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he is willing to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine after the war. This marks the first time the British leader has explicitly said he would be willing to deploy the U.K. army to Ukraine.
- The announcement comes before an emergency meeting of European leaders in Paris after being left out of peace talks.
- The U.S. and Russia are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia this week for talks to work towards ending the war.
Full Story
The U.K. prime minister said he’s ready to deploy troops to Ukraine if Moscow agrees to a deal requiring European peacekeepers. The announcement came right before an emergency meeting with European leaders in Paris Monday, Feb. 17 after U.S. President Donald Trump cut European leaders out of negotiations.
Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, said Saturday, Feb. 15, Europe would not be invited to peace talks between the U.S. and Russia aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. This happened after Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin last week declaring an immediate start to negotiations.
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
Why was the U.K. left out?
Trump criticized the European Union for not doing enough to support Ukraine, repeatedly urging the EU to increase its financial and military contributions to Ukraine’s defense.
How is the U.K. responding?
In an op-ed for the Telegraph Sunday, Feb. 16, U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine risked “putting them in harm’s way,” but that the crisis was an “existential” question for Europe and a “once in a generation moment.”
He also said the U.K. is willing to lead in Ukraine’s defense and security committing around $3 billion every year until 2030.
Starmer said in an interview ahead of the Paris meeting, the U.K. is prepared to step up its overall response in Europe.
“We must continue to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, whatever happens next, and to make sure that if there is peace and we all want peace, that it is lasting,” Starmer said. “I think that we need to do more. We need to step up.”
Are other countries backing Ukraine?
Sweden isn’t ruling out participating in the peacekeeping mission in Ukraine either, according to Reuters.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said negotiations would need to progress before he would make that decision though.
The Associated Press reported Britain and France are also leading a European-only effort to send troops to Ukraine for post-war security.
European leaders began exploring what kind of force might be needed about a year ago with the sense of urgency now growing amid concerns that Trump is leaving them out of a deal with Putin.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised Poland, thanking the country’s prime minister and the Polish people in a post to X.
“Poland is a model NATO ally, leading on defense spending, deterrence and readiness. This is what leadership looks like,” Hegseth wrote.
Thank you to Deputy PM @KosiniakKamysz and the Polish people.
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) February 14, 2025
Poland is a model NATO ally—leading on defense spending, deterrence, and readiness. This is what leadership looks like. pic.twitter.com/doiLU0RBbC
Despite the recent support, NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte warned in December Putin was orchestrating a campaign discouraging other countries from backing Ukraine.
“Putin is trying to wipe Ukraine off the map,” Rutte said. “He is trying to fundamentally change the security architecture that has kept Europe safe for decades and he is trying to crush our freedom and way of life.”
The U.S. and Russia are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia this week for talks to work towards ending the war in Ukraine.
