PM Starmer Ready Send British Troops To Ukraine As Peacekeeping Forces

JAKARTA - Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday said of his readiness to send British troops to Ukraine as part of a postwar peacekeeping force, trying to show the United States that European countries must play a role in negotiations to end the conflict.

PM Starmer said he did not take the decision to consider placing British male and female soldiers "in danger" easily, but securing lasting peace in Ukraine was essential to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin's further aggression.

The end of Russia's war with Ukraine "when it arrives, it can't just be a temporary pause before (President) Putin attacks again," wrote PM Starmer in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

That was the first time PM Starmer has explicitly said he is considering deploying British peacekeepers to Ukraine.

Earlier, he said Britain was willing to help take part in any peace deals negotiated.

In the article, PM Starmer said he was ready to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine by "putting our own troops on the ground if necessary".

"I didn't say it lightly," he wrote.

"I feel very responsible for the possibility of putting British male and female soldiers in danger."

Prime Minister Starmer is expected to join German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other European leaders in Paris this Monday, after French President Emmanuel Macron held talks on Ukraine.

PM Starmer, who is expected to travel to Washington on Sunday, said Britain could play a "unique role" in negotiations to end the war, acting as a bridge between Europe and the US during the peace process in Ukraine.

"Europe and America must continue to work closely together and I believe the UK can play a unique role in helping make this happen," he said.

"We are facing a moment that occurs only once in a generation for the collective security of our continent. This is not just a question about Ukraine's future. This is an existential problem for Europe as a whole," he said.

Earlier, President Trump made a surprise last week, announcing phone calls with President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and will begin the peace process.

US and Russian officials are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to start negotiations aimed at ending the Russian-Ukraine war that has been going on since February 2022.