PARLIAMENT will likely get a vote on Keir Starmer’s plans to send UK troops to Ukraine, a minister has indicated.
The Prime Minister said earlier this week he wanted to send British armed forces to the country in the event of a peace deal – plans which have already been rubbished by Germany.
They would need the backing of the Americans, who are currently attempting to broker a peace with Russia, with Starmer admitting the US would need to provide a “backstop”.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told Times Radio on Tuesday morning it would be “normal, if circumstances allow, for Parliament to be consulted” on military action, but added: “I do think we are some way away from this at the moment.”
German chancellor Olaf Scholz (below) has described talk of getting boots on the ground as “premature”, adding: “This is highly inappropriate, to put it bluntly, and honestly: we don’t even know what the outcome will be.”
It comes as high-level talks go on between US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, which have excluded Ukrainian and European leaders.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country will not accept any deal negotiated without them. Starmer said last week that there could be “no talks about Ukraine, without Ukraine”.
The LibDems have called for Parliament to be recalled, the leader Ed Davey indicating he would back sending troops to Ukraine – calling Reform “Trump bootlickers” for appearing to oppose the plan.
The Conservatives appeared more hesitant on the prospect of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, with shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge telling Sky News it would be “a pretty big step”.
He said: “For that to happen, we do need to know a bit more. We want to know what the terms of engagement were and so on, what the role of the US would be.”
First Minister John Swinney (above) has called for MPs to get a vote but has so far not made clear whether the SNP would back deploying troops.
Speaking after Monday evening’s summit of European leaders excluded from peace talks, Starmer said: “At stake is not just the future of Ukraine. It is an existential question for Europe as a whole, and therefore vital for Britain’s national interest.
“This is a once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of our continent. Only a lasting peace in Ukraine that safeguards its sovereignty will deter Putin from further aggression in the future.”
Starmer is expected to press his argument for US security guarantees when he flies to Washington for talks with US president Donald Trump next week.
