British military leaders have discussed deploying Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets to Ukraine as part of a potential peace agreement, the Telegraph reported on March 20, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report, the discussion took place at the Permanent Joint Headquarters, which oversees all of Britain's overseas military operations.
The plan is part of a broader "coalition of the willing" initiative led by the U.K. and France, aimed at providing security guarantees to Kyiv.
The peacekeeping initiative was first introduced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a March 2 summit in London, where leaders from European nations and Canada discussed military support for Ukraine.
Starmer participated in additional talks at Northwood Headquarters, hosted by Lt. Gen. Nick Perry, the chief of joint operations, alongside representatives from over 30 countries.
A senior RAF source told the Telegraph that providing "overhead cover" was a key topic of discussion, particularly in scenarios where British troops might enter Ukraine.
The RAF could reportedly deploy either Typhoon or U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets to conduct air patrols, given their advanced air-to-air capabilities.
Starmer has pledged that British forces would be involved in securing a peace deal if U.S. President Donald Trump successfully negotiates one with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Washington has instead backed the idea of European-led peacekeeping forces monitoring a potential ceasefire but has not offered concrete security guarantees to Ukraine.
More than 30 countries have expressed willingness to contribute to a peacekeeping force, with the U.K. and France leading the initiative.
Canada and Australia have also indicated their openness to participating, according to Starmer's office.Trump previously claimed on Feb. 24 that Putin would allow European peacekeepers to operate in Ukraine as part of a settlement, though Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov publicly rejected the idea.
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