LONDON, March 24. /TASS/. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's remarks about the readiness to send troops to Ukraine to enforce the peace agreement after the conflict settlement are not taken seriously in the British army, The Daily Telegraph reported, citing sources.
"It’s all political theatre. Starmer got ahead of himself with talk of boots on the ground before he knew what he was talking about, which is why we hear less about it now and more about jets and vessels which are easier to do and don’t need basing in Ukraine," a high-ranking army source told the newspaper.
According to him, London will not have time to develop a plan for presence in Ukraine by April 20. Earlier, US media reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump hopes to establish a ceasefire by Easter.
The Daily Telegraph pointed out that the issue of possible patrolling of Ukrainian airspace with the help of fighter jets of the UK Air Force after the settlement of the conflict is also still at an early stage of discussion. "It’s is politics. There’s no military sense in it," the source stressed.
According to him, no one in the UK army knows what peacekeeping mission in Ukraine Starmer talks about. "There are about 700,000 Russians in and around Ukraine and over a million Ukrainians under arms. What is a 10,000-international force based in the west of the country over 400 kilometers from the front line meant to do? It cannot even protect itself. What is the mission? What is its legitimacy? What are the rules of engagement? How is it commanded, supplied and housed? How long is it there for and why? No one knows," he added.
At the same time, the newspaper reported that on March 24, UK Chief of the Defense Staff Admiral Tony Radakin will meet his French counterparts in London on March 24 to discuss details of a potential mission for the so-called coalition of the willing. "The process under way, led by Prime Minister Starmer and [French] President [Emmanuel] Macron, is preparing Europe and Ukraine for whatever comes next, and while providing a running commentary on the potential [mission] options would be unhelpful to the planning and detrimental to potential peace, no one should be in any doubt that this work is critical and substantial," Radakin said ahead of the talks.
Political signal
The Daily Telegraph’s source pointed out that the regular meetings of representatives of the "coalition of the willing" countries should first and foremost be seen as "galvanizing political signaling of an enduring commitment to Ukraine’s security." At the same time, he noted that the provision of air cover and weapons by the UK Air Force seemed a more realistic option for ensuring Ukraine's post-war security than sending troops into the country.
Against this backdrop, former UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace (2019-2023) said that the "coalition of the willing" talks were more of a deception, as they did not contain any "substance." "The question for Europe and Britain is resolve. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin sniffs that we don’t have any, which is why he does not take us seriously," he emphasized.
London's plans
On March 20, a meeting of military commanders from the "coalition of the willing" countries was held in London to discuss operational details of sending troops to Ukraine. On the same day, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told military planners that plans were being drawn up for land, sea and air operations in Ukraine to ensure compliance with the post-conflict peace deal.
According to UK media, London and Paris hope to form a "peacekeeping force" of 10,000 to 30,000 troops ostensibly to enforce a peace deal on Ukraine. At the same time, UK Air Force fighter jets could patrol Ukrainian airspace, taking off from Polish territory. According to The Daily Telegraph, the air cover may be provided by NATO countries on a rotating basis.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on March 12 that the presence of NATO troops under any flag and in any capacity on Ukrainian soil is a threat to Russia. According to him, Moscow will not accept it under any circumstances.