Sir Keir Starmer’s plan for a ‘coalition of the willing’ to supply a peackeeping force in Ukraine will see the deployment of minehunters and 10,000 troops, it has emerged.
The Prime Minister held a virtual meeting with other world leaders on Saturday following which he announced proposals would move into an ‘operational phase’.
Military chiefs from Western countries are set to meet in London on Thursday to further develop the blueprint for enforcing a potential peace deal in Ukraine.
Saturday’s call saw the leaders of 27 countries – including the UK, France, Australia and Canada – discuss the plans together with representatives from the EU and NATO.
According to the Sunday Times, the PM won the backing of ‘considerably more’ than the three countries that initially offered to supply boots on the ground.
But the bulk of a peackeeping force in Ukraine is still likely to come from Britain and France, with a military source saying its size would be ‘comfortably north of 10,000’.
The newspaper also reported that two minehunter ships – which were transferred from the Royal Navy to Ukraine’s fleet last year – are also taking part in training exercises and ready to be deployed to the Black Sea in the event of a ceasefire.
But Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, who joined the call with Sir Keir on Saturday, doubted the chances of a peace deal ever being struck with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
British soldiers of a gun battery attend the Allied Spirit 25 training exercise in Hohenfels, Germany, this month
The Prime Minister held a virtual meeting with other world leaders on Saturday following which he announced proposals would move into an ‘operational phase’
Two minehunter ships – which were transferred from the Royal Navy to Ukraine’s fleet last year – are also taking part in training exercises and ready to be deployed to the Black Sea
Asked about the Russian President’s willingness to enter peace talks, Mr Stubb told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg programme: ‘I think the chances are abysmal.
‘I don’t think Putin doesn’t want a ceasefire. Putin doesn’t want peace.
‘His original aim was basically to destroy the independent sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Basically to have Ukraine ceasing to exist.
‘He hasn’t changed his aim and this is what all of us around the table have to understand.’
Mr Stubb called for Western allies to ‘maximise the pressure’ on Russia by ratcheting up sanctions, using frozen Russian assets and ‘militarising Ukraine to the teeth’.
‘We are willing to do concrete measures overall but from our perspective it is too early to talk about boots on the ground,’ he added.
‘Because we don’t have a ceasefire, we don’t have a peace process. You also have to remember that Finland has 1,340 kilometres of border with Russia.
‘So we take care of the northern flanks but there are so many different ways we can help out. I’m really glad that we are seeing strong leadership coming from the UK.’
Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, pictured with Sir Keir Starmer earlier this month, doubted the chances of a peace deal ever being struck with Russia’s Vladimir Putin
The Russian President has rejected the suggestion of any European or NATO forces being based in Ukraine
The Kremlin has appeared to reject the suggestion of any European or NATO forces being based in Ukraine, and continues to resist a US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
Sir Keir has repeatedly demanded that America provide a ‘backstop’ to a European-led peacekeeping force by issuing security guarantees.
Former UK national security adviser Lord Peter Ricketts said a European force in Ukraine is a ‘considerable risk’ without US President Donald Trump’s support.
He told Sky News: ‘To be credible, a deterrent force has to be willing to fight, so are we actually saying that this force might one day have to fight the Russians in Ukraine?
‘I think it’s a genuine question. And the way to avoid it, of course, is to have a cast iron American guarantee that if the force got into trouble, the Americans would come in and support. That’s what the backstop means.
‘I just don’t think Trump is going to give that kind of commitment, so while I admire the work going into this, and maybe there are ways that European forces can help in Ukraine… I think a formed fighting force is a considerable risk without an American clear guarantee.’
Health Secretary Wes Streeting suggested the prospect of a confrontation with Western troops would be sufficient to deter Russia from breaching any ceasefire agreement reached with Ukraine.
The Cabinet minister told Sky News: ‘I think it would be an extraordinary escalation for Russian troops to find themselves in conflict with British troops.’
Mr Streeting added that Thursday’s planned meeting of Western generals was ‘about having a serious plan, a serious military strategy to secure a peace’.
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni was among those to join Saturday’s call, despite reports she was considering not attending the meeting due to scepticism about proposals for a peacekeeping force.
The US was not represented, but Sir Keir told reporters the Government remained in contact with the Trump administration
He revealed current national security adviser Jonathan Powell had returned from talks in Washington on Saturday morning.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday.
A State Department statement said they discussed the next steps after the two countries’ recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and agreed to work on restoring communication.
