UK Defence Minister John Healey reaffirmed the commitment of Britain and other European countries to deploy troops as part of security guarantees for Ukraine on Wednesday.
As per Ukrinform, Healey addressed journalists in Kyiv after chairing a meeting of defense ministers from the so-called “Coalition of the Willing,” a group of primarily European countries committed to helping Ukraine deter future Russian aggression if or when a ceasefire is reached.
He declined to provide specifics on the guarantees when questioned, citing an unwillingness to disclose details that might forewarn Russia.
However, Healey assured reporters that the security guarantees are both substantial and real.
On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron will host a virtual meeting of around 30 countries from the coalition to further solidify plans – President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will also attend.
Macron’s office said on Tuesday that Ukraine’s European allies can now demonstrate “enough contributions to be able to say to the Americans that we are ready to take our responsibilities as long as they take on theirs.”
European leaders are also expected to draw US President Donald Trump’s attention to the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made no concessions to advance peace talks, despite Trump setting numerous deadlines for him to do so.
Also on Wednesday, Healey visited one of the sites of Russia’s recent mass missile attack on Kyiv. The Ukrainian office of the British Council, a UK charity that promotes UK culture and connections with other countries, was severely damaged during the attack.
A UK Defence Ministry statement on X reads: “We will not jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war. A war Putin continues to wage.”