UK ready 'to put boots on the ground, planes in the air' to back Ukraine peace deal, Starmer says
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London is ready to send its troops to Ukraine to secure a "good deal" on ending Russia's full-scale war, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at a press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House on Feb. 27.
The two leaders met earlier in the day for talks that focused heavily on the Western allies' role in securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. The U.K. prime minister's visit took place a day before President Volodymyr Zelensky's trip to Washington, where he is expected to sign a minerals agreement with the U.S.
According to Starmer, he and Trump discussed a plan to reach a just peace "that Ukraine will help shape," and that is "backed by strength to stop (Russian President Vladimir) Putin (from) coming back for more."
"We agree history must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader," Starmer said.
"I'm working closely with other European leaders on this, and I'm clear that the U.K. is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal, working together with our allies, because that is the only way that peace will last," he added.
Previously, Zelensky said that European partners would need to station 100,000 to 150,000 soldiers in Ukraine to effectively deter Russia. The U.S. has ruled out sending its own troops while encouraging European allies to take the lead in securing Ukraine's post-war stability.
The U.K. and France are considering deploying a much smaller European-led peacekeeping force with up to 30,000 soldiers, the Telegraph reported.
Apart from the U.K. and France, other countries remain cautious about sending their troops to Ukraine, citing concerns over the escalation and limited military resources, according to the Washington Post.
