Planning for peacekeeping operations in Ukraine is set to continue, despite few signs of progress towards a ceasefire agreement.
Military chiefs from the “coalition of the willing” are expected to hold further meetings at the UK’s permanent joint headquarters in Northwood throughout the week in preparation for a European-led peacekeeping force.
The meetings follow talks between the heads of the British and French armed forces in London on Monday, at which Admiral Sir Tony Radakin and General Thierry Burkhard discussed efforts to “galvanise” Europe’s response to the situation in Ukraine.
Admiral Sir Tony said: “Europe’s two leading nuclear powers are stepping up to forge a stronger and deeper partnership that has a vital foundational role to play in the security of the continent.
“Today’s deliberations will help shape the future of British and French military cooperation, and our shared efforts to support Ukraine with military aid now and after any peace deal.”
But progress towards such a deal appears slow, with talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, yielding no major announcements on Monday.
US officials have held separate talks with Ukrainian and Russian counterparts in an effort to secure agreement on a partial ceasefire after Moscow rejected a US-Ukraine proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.
On Monday evening, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he expected his officials to meet with the US negotiators again, but did not specify when, and no deal has been announced.
Meanwhile, Number 10 has sought to shrug off comments by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who dismissed Sir Keir Starmer’s plans for an international force in Ukraine as “a posture and a pose”.
Mr Witkoff said in an interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson that it was based on a “simplistic” idea of the Prime Minister and other European leaders thinking “we have all got to be like Winston Churchill”.
Asked if Sir Keir is worried by the remarks, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “No, the PM has repeatedly said that a lasting peace in Ukraine can only be achieved if we provide real and credible security assurances to deter Putin.
“And the coalition of the willing is a group of nations politically aligned to the defence, security and sovereignty of Ukraine… if there is a deal, it’s a deal that has to be defended.”
