Britain is considering plans to deploy troops to Ukraine for up to five years as part of a wider Western effort to rebuild and strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces and prevent further Russian aggression.
The Telegraph reports that military chiefs in London are exploring the option as part of discussions with France and other allies over a potential “coalition of the willing” that would help uphold any post-war peace deal with Moscow.
The proposed European-led mission would initially focus on deterring Russia from breaking any future settlement while giving Ukraine’s exhausted troops a chance to regroup.
French military planners believe it is unlikely Russian President Vladimir Putin would risk launching another large-scale attack while Western forces are stationed inside Ukraine – especially given the limited territorial gains Russian forces are currently capable of making.
Under the plan, British and French troops would also help protect Ukraine’s skies and maritime borders, while beginning efforts to retrain and rebuild Ukraine’s armed forces.
The phased withdrawal of the force could see the last foreign troops leave Ukraine after about five years, The Telegraph reports – a timeline that aligns with Western intelligence estimates of how soon Russia could be ready to wage another full-scale war.
British, Danish, and German intelligence services reportedly believe that Moscow could be ready for renewed large-scale aggression in as little as five years.
Following a meeting of defense officials from 30 countries, UK Defence Secretary John Healey declined to reveal operational details but outlined the key military priorities under discussion.
“Our four aims or objectives in military planning: secure the skies, secure the seas, support peace on land and support the regeneration and strength of the Ukrainian forces,” Healey told reporters.
He added: “The Ukrainians themselves say our best security for the future will be the strength of our own forces and our ability to deter Russia ourselves in the future.”
As per Kyiv Post, the UK-and-French-led “Coalition of the Willing” made progress on operational details for troop deployments in Ukraine during a meeting at NATO HQ on Thursday, though finer details, such as troop numbers and timeline, are still being discussed.
“Ministers [arriving] at the meeting wouldn’t be drawn to comment on how many troops could be sent to Ukraine and under what timeline,” Euronews reported.
Some countries, including Poland and Greece, have ruled out sending troops, while others, like the Baltic states, are open to it if their borders are secured.
Many participants agreed that US support is essential, with Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen calling the US a “crucial player.” Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans also emphasized the need for US involvement depending on the mission’s scope.