UK Signals Readiness to Deploy Troops to Ukraine if Ceasefire Is Reached
UK Defence Secretary John Healey has said Britain is prepared to send troops to Ukraine as part of an international mission if the ongoing war with Russia is halted by a ceasefire.
The Gaze reports this, referring to The Financial Times.
Speaking to the reporters during commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Allies’ victory over Japan in World War II, Healey said a “coalition of the determined” stands ready to move in “from day one” of a truce to help secure and maintain peace.
“In the event of a ceasefire, we are ready to send British soldiers to Ukraine. They are ready to go and act from the very first day,” Healey said, adding that any UK forces deployed would retain the right to defend themselves if attacked.
He described questions about their role in the event of renewed Russian aggression as “hypothetical,” but stressed that Ukraine’s own strength would remain the most powerful deterrent to Moscow.
Healey revealed that more than 200 military planners from 30 nations have spent recent months drafting a detailed ceasefire plan.
The envisaged multinational force would help secure Ukraine’s airspace and territorial waters, while the priority would be to rebuild and strengthen Ukraine’s own armed forces.
The comments come as U.S. President Donald Trump travels to Alaska for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. En route, Trump suggested he could offer Kyiv certain security guarantees, though not under a NATO framework.
Read more on The Gaze: Trump-Putin Gambit: Scenarios and Stakes for Ukraine