‘Prepared to consider’: Huge move in war

The UK has made a huge call as the world prepares for the next stage of the war in Europe.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that a “US security guarantee” would be the “only way” to prevent Russia from attacking Ukraine again in the event of peace.

“I’m prepared to consider committing British forces on the ground alongside others if there is a lasting peace agreement, but there must be a US backstop, because a US security guarantee is the only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again,” Starmer said after a European meeting in Paris.

He then confirmed an earlier statement from a government spokesperson that he would head to Washington next week to meet US President Donald Trump “and to discuss what we see as the key elements of a lasting peace”.

Starmer had first evoked the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine following a ceasefire on Sunday night, ahead of the emergency European security talks hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Those came a day before top US and Russian diplomats were due to hold talks in Saudi Arabia.

“Britain will take a leading responsibility, as we always have, because Ukraine must have a secure future,” added Starmer, who said there would be further European talks after his meeting with Trump.

“Europe must have a secure future. Britain must have a secure future, and democratic values must prevail.”

UK is ready to join fight

Mr Starmer said on Sunday that he was ready to deploy peacekeeping forces to Ukraine if it was needed to ensure the security of Britain and Europe.

The UK was playing a leading role in supporting Kyiv in the war against Russia which “also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary,” Mr Starmer wrote in Britain’s Daily Telegraph.

“I do not say that lightly,” Mr Starmer added, saying he felt “very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way.

“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.”

This is the first time Mr Starmer explicitly said he would consider deploying British troops to Ukraine, as suggested that Britain could play a “unique role” in ending the war.

He said that he would be meeting US President Donald Trump “in the coming days”, adding the UK had “a unique role” to play in ensuring Europe and the United States work closely together.

“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,” Mr Starmer said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

European countries fear that if Ukraine is forced into a bad deal by Washington that will leave Putin claiming victory and the continent at the mercy of an emboldened Moscow.

“We are facing a once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of our continent,” Mr Starmer warned in his article published late Sunday.

“This is not only a question about the future of Ukraine –- it is existential for Europe as a whole.

United Kindom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he is ready to send troops to Ukraine, if needed.

This comes after Mr Trump announced that he had a private call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to start the peace process without consulting NATO allies or Ukraine.

The talks mark a shift in Washington’s approach, with Mr Trump revealing that his envoy Steve Witkoff had already met with Putin “for a very extended period, like about three hours.”

The US and Russia are holding talks in Saudi Arabia to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, but Kyiv has not been invited.

Mr Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg confirmed this was not an oversight, and suggested that Ukraine and other European leaders would have no involvement in peace negotiations.

“It may be like chalk on the blackboard, it may grate a little bit, but I am telling you something that is really quite honest,” Mr Kellogg said.

“And to my European friends, I would say: ‘Get into the debate, not by complaining that you might, yes or no, be at the table, but by coming up with concrete proposals, ideas, ramp up [defence] spending.’”

US and Russia are set to have discussions in Saudi Arabia on Monday, to the exclusion of Europe and Ukraine.

European leaders excluded will meet separately in Paris amid concerns that the continent is being locked out of negotiations.

Mr Starmer confirmed he would join this top-level meeting to be held on Monday to address growing concerns over US efforts to end the war in Ukraine, along with the heads of government of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark.

This division comes as Ukrainian President Zelensky firmly rejected any deal negotiated without Ukraine and said, “I would never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine, never.”

Mr Zelensky called for the creation of a European army at the Munich conference and argued that “the continent could no longer count on Washington.”

Mr Trump announced Europe and Ukraine will not be involved in peace negotiations, Mr Zelensky said he would not accept a solution which was decided by US and Russia.

UK Business Secretary Johnathan Reynolds said there can be “no durable peace” without the involvement of other European nations, especially Ukraine, but added that the UK hopes to facilitate this diplomacy by acting as the “bridge” between the US and Europe.

“What the US has said repeatedly for quite some time is that they would like to see Europe make a greater contribution to the collective defence of Europe,” he said to the BBC.

“Everyone recognises there is a reasonability behind that, so that is how Europe has to respond.

- With AFP