Sir Keir Starmer has announced he is willing to put British troops “in harm’s way” on the ground in Ukraine to face down Vladimir Putin’s forces.
In a dramatic escalation of rhetoric ahead of an urgent meeting of European leaders in Paris on Monday, the prime minister confirmed he is prepared to put a peacekeeping force into Ukraine as the US looks to negotiate an end to the war with Russia.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Sir Keir said the UK was “ready to play a leading role” in Ukraine’s defence and security, including the commitment of £3bn a year until 2030.
But he said that along with military aid to Ukraine “it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary.
“I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way,” Sir Keir said.
“But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country.
“The end of this war, when it comes, cannot merely become a temporary pause before Putin attacks again.”
It is the first time he has explicitly said he was considering sending British troops to Ukraine, having previously only hinted that they could be involved in safeguarding Ukraine after a ceasefire.
The prime minister said securing a lasting peace in Ukraine “is essential if we are to deter Mr Putin from further aggression in the future”.
The message comes ahead of his meeting with European leaders for emergency talks in Paris as they scramble to respond to Donald Trump’s push for a deal with Mr Putin and appears to be aimed at encouraging both European allies and Mr Trump to commit to deterring a future attack.
The meeting in Paris called by French president Emmanuel Macron will see Sir Keir joined by leaders from Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark along with the presidents of the European Council and European Commission and the secretary general of Nato.
The prime minister, who is due to visit Mr Trump in Washington later this month, said: “While European nations must step up in this moment – and we will – US support will remain critical and a US security guarantee is essential for a lasting peace, because only the US can deter Putin from attacking again.”
He added: “I am heading to Paris today with a very clear message for our European friends. We have got to show we are truly serious about our own defence and bearing our own burden.”
Representatives of the US administration and Russian counterparts are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia for talks following Mr Trump’s direct phone conversation with Mr Putin on Wednesday. But Ukrainian officials are not expected to be at the table at this stage, while other European leaders might not be involved in the process at all.
Sir Keir said: “We must be clear that peace cannot come at any cost. Ukraine must be at the table in these negotiations, because anything less would accept Putin’s position that Ukraine is not a real nation.”
Earlier, Mr Zelensky warned that the risk Russia will occupy Europe is “100 per cent” and said that intelligence showed 150,000 of its soldiers amassing in neighbouring Belarus.
The Ukrainian president issued the stark warning during an interview with NBC News, where he stressed that he trusted Mr Trump, but would not accept any ceasefire deal conducted without Ukraine at the negotiating table.
Without Mr Trump and the US administration’s support in Ukraine, Mr Zelensky said they had a “low chance to survive”, having already endured a three-year-long war which has seen them concede 20 per cent of their territory to Moscow’s forces.
“And even if I will look at the army of Russia, if they will see it that they, Russia, have 220 or 250 brigades, and Europe has 50. That is the answer. The risk that Russia will occupy Europe is 100 per cent,” he warned.
