FIRST Minister John Swinney has called for a vote on any decisions to put UK peacekeeping forces into Ukraine if there is a deal to end the war with Russia.
It comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he would be prepared to put a peacekeeping force into Ukraine, ahead of an emergency meeting between European leaders.
Leaders have left Paris, having met to scramble for a strategy in response to US President Donald Trump’s push for a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and amid fears the US will reduce its defence commitments in the continent.
Speaking to reporters, Swinney said there is a case for the UK to provide peacekeeping troops - but the decision would have to go to a parliamentary vote.
He also welcomed the fact Starmer was taking part in the discussions with European leaders in Paris.
He said: "All of us, I think, felt we were in a position of absolute solidarity with Ukraine in facing down Russian aggression.
"The events of the last week have clearly created a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety so I welcome the PM's participation in the European summit on this question."
The First Minister added that issues surrounding peacekeeping forces "are best to be discussed and debated in the House of Commons".
"That's where these issues should be considered," Swinney said.
"And if there is a parliamentary majority in favour of taking that course of action, then I think the Prime Minister should be supported to take that forward."
Swinney implied his support for British forces to be put into Ukraine, saying: "There obviously is a case to do that given the fact there is a need to be assured about the security of Ukraine as a consequence of any ongoing agreement that might be reached."
He added that the independence of Ukraine "must be asserted" in the process.
When asked if SNP MPs would vote in favour, Swinney said he would not prejudge the evidence.
He said: "We've got to see what the nature of that peacekeeping role would be, and what would be the nature of the agreement that any soldiers would be expected to deliver on, and that's obviously a product of any peace deal."
Speaking from Paris, the Prime Minister said in a clip posted to social media site X/Twitter: “If there is a peace deal, and everybody wants a peace deal, then it’s got to be a lasting peace deal, not just a pause for Putin to come again
Starmer said any settlement in the Ukraine war needs to be a “lasting peace deal, not just a pause for (Vladimir) Putin to come again” as he warned of a “generational challenge” requiring European allies to “step up” capability.
He added: “So that needs to be discussed. There’s also a wider peace here, which is the collective security and defence of Europe. And here I think we’ve got a generational challenge.
“We’ve all got to step up in terms of capability and what we do as Europeans, and that’s certainly the case, the message the argument that I’ll be making.”
