Downing Street has been asked if British troops stationed in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire would be allowed to fire back at Russians. Meanwhile Donald Trump is set to speak with Vladimir Putin
The government has said the UK will deploy “signifiant force” to Ukraine amid hopes of a peace deal with Russia, though Downing Street was unclear whether British troops would be allowed to fire at Russian soldiers if they are deployed.
When asked if UK troops sent to Ukraine on a peacekeeping mission would be allowed to fire back, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesperson said: “So we’re getting ahead of these conversations… these planning conversations. But it is worth remembering that Russia didn’t ask Ukraine when it deployed North Korean troops to the frontline last year, but we’ve got the operational planning meetings that are going to go thorugh the details.”
Downing Street added that more than 30 countries will be involved in providing resources toward the coalition of the willing. When it came to how many countries would provide troops for the peacekeeping plan, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson told reporters today: “The Prime Minister said over the weekend, there’s going to be different capabilities from different countries, but these are now the operational discussions that are ongoing in relation to what the coalition of the willing will be able to provide.
“We’re expecting more than 30 countries to be involved. Obviously, the contribution capabilities will vary, but this will be a significant force, with a significant number of countries providing troops and a larger group contributing in other ways.”
The spokesman added that Sir Keir Starmer still believed that an American security guarantee was necessary for the plan to be carried out successfully. He added: “The PM has said for the coalition of the willing, for UK troops to be deployed, it must be in the context of a secure and lasting peace with US backing being needed, but as I said, those discussions are ongoing, and part of the discussions that he had with President Trump at the White House.”
It comes as President Donald Trump said he would speak to Russian despot Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as military chiefs prepared to meet to discuss peacekeeping plans in London. The call between the two world leaders was announced by US special envoy Steve Witkoff amid a tense backdrop that sees Putin continuing to resist a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
Despite Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accepting the proposed unconditional ceasefire, Putin has said Ukraine must agree to give up ambitions of joining Nato and surrender territory fo Russia before there will be any pause in the bloodshed. Keir Starmer has accused Putin of looking to “delay” a ceasefire, while French president Emmanuel Macron said the Russian leader “does not seem to be sincerely seeking peace.”
On Sunday, Mr Witkoff insisted Putin was making a “constructive effort” and that the upcoming call with Trump was an indicator of “positive momentum”. As he flew from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday evening, Trump told reporters the aim of his phone call with Putin will be to bring the conflict “to an end”.
“We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work’s been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end,” the President said. Trump added that “dividing up certain assets” will form part of his conversation about ending the brutal and bloody war.
“We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,” he explained. As Trump and Putin hold their own negotiations about bringing the war to an end, military chiefs from the ‘coalition of the willing’, convened by Keir Starmer and Macron, will meet in London on Thursday.
The group will discuss plans for a Western peacekeeping force to be sent over to Ukraine in the event a ceasefire deal is reached. Following a virtual meeting on Saturday with leaders of 26 other nations, plus representatives from the EU and Nato, the Prime Minister said there had been “new commitments” offered and that planning would now move into an “operational phase”.
But, it remains unclear which nations have committed troops to a peacekeeping operation, as several have suggested talks of this nature are premature given the lack of a ceasefire and Russia’s attempt to further negotiate the terms. Putin is also likely to object to any agreement that involves European of Nato troops being deployed to Ukraine, though Zelensky sees this as an essential aspect to deterring future Russian aggression.
Amid all of this, the fighting continues, with Ukraine said to be under increasing pressure in the eastern Donetsk region, part of which has been under Russian control since 2014. Ukrainian troops are also reported to be in retreat in the Kursk region of Russia, which they seized in a susprise raidein August in attempt to secure a bargaining chip for future negotiations.
