Wes Streeting suggested the prospect of a clash between Russian soldiers and British peacekeeping troops would be sufficient to deter Vladimir Putin from breaching a ceasefire
Russian soldiers confronting British troops in Ukraine would be an “extraordinary escalation”, a top Cabinet minister has said.
Wes Streeting said the prospect of a clash would be sufficient to deter Russia from breaching a ceasefire. It comes as Donald Trump is due to speak to Vladimir Putin again this week as the US tries to broker a peace deal.
Military chiefs from allied countries will meet in London this week to start operational planning for a peacekeeping force to deter Vladimir Putin from invading again.
Keir Starmer gathered leaders from the “coalition of the willing” on Saturday to discuss a peacekeeping operation, but it remains unclear what form it would take.
Efforts to get Russia to agree to a truce have made little progress. The Kremlin has so far appeared to reject suggestions of European or Nato boots on the ground in Ukraine, and continues to resist a US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
Mr Streeting told Sky News: “I think it would be an extraordinary escalation for Russian troops to find themselves in conflict with British troops.” He added: “At the moment, the peace is still to be negotiated, but work is underway to prepare for potential peacekeeping.
“The situation is moving incredibly quickly. Not quickly enough. I think if you’re someone in Ukraine fighting for that, then their life and their freedom. But the situation is now moving quickly. The Prime Minister is working closely with international allies to try and make sure that we don’t just bring an end to the war, but we secure the peace.
President of Finland Alexander Stubb, who joined the call organised by Mr Starmer, said the chances of Putin entering serious peace negotiations are “abysmal”. He said: “I don’t think Putin doesn’t want a ceasefire. Putin doesn’t want peace.
“His original aim was basically to destroy the independent sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. “Basically to have Ukraine ceasing to exist.
“He hasn’t changed his aim and this is what all of us around the table have to understand.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said European countries would not need Russia’s permission to deploy troops to Ukraine. Mr Macron, who has been working closely with Keir Starmer on peacekeeping plans, told French media that countries were considering sending troops to key locations in Ukraine rather than a mass deployment.
He suggested it could involve “a few thousand troops” from each country, deployed at “key points” in Ukraine, to conduct training programmes and “show our long-term support”.
Russia has rejected such a move but Mr Macron said: “Ukraine is sovereign. If it asks for Allied forces to be on its territory, it’s not up to Russia to accept or not.”
Speaking after the call with leaders on Saturday, he said Russia “does not give the impression it sincerely wants peace”, in a statement to Agence France-Presse.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said the US President would speak to Putin this week. “I think the two presidents are going to have a really good and positive discussion this week,” he told CNN.
He expressed optimism about Russia’s willingness to come to the table. “I know what I heard, the body language I witnessed,” Witkoff said of his meeting with Putin last week.
“I saw a constructive effort, over a long period of time to to discuss the specifics of what’s going on in the field.”