British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged the Trump administration to provide a security guarantee for Kyiv to prevent Russia from attacking Ukraine again. Starmer believes that a US backstop is necessary to effectively deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching another attack.
During an emergency meeting of European leaders in Paris, Starmer confirmed that he would deploy British troops into Ukraine if needed to enforce a peace deal with Russia. This comes as talks between the US and Russia are underway in Saudi Arabia, excluding European allies and Ukraine.
The US has arranged bilateral peace talks with Russia, while Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President, will travel to Saudi Arabia tomorrow. However, his trip is unrelated to the US-Russia talks.
Starmer emphasized the need for lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine, warning that a ceasefire must not allow Putin’s forces to recover and attack again. He also warned that meeting his pledge to deploy British troops to Ukraine may require tax rises or spending cuts.
The UK’s defence spending is under scrutiny, with former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warning that Nato’s future depends on Britain increasing its spending to 3% of GDP by 2030. A top economist has cautioned that any significant rise in the defence budget would be challenging while sticking to Labour’s general election manifesto.
Starmer’s plans have sparked concerns among top military figures and economists, who believe a peacekeeping force would require increased defence spending. The British Prime Minister must navigate these challenges while seeking a lasting resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-uk-troops-trump-putin-meeting-riyadh-live-updates-b2699883.html?page=5