Jan 6, 2026, 8:54 p.mJan 6, 2026, 8:54 p.m
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised the deployment of British and French forces on Ukrainian soil following a ceasefire. Together with French President Emmanuel Macron, he signed a corresponding declaration of intent that “paves the way for the legal framework” for such an operation, he said at a press conference after a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing in Paris. Other allies who have not been named also want to send their units to Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (r.) with Volodymyr Zelenskyj.Image: keystone
The aim of the troop deployment is “to secure Ukrainian air and sea space and to rebuild the Ukrainian armed forces for the future.” After a ceasefire, Great Britain and France wanted to set up military bases in Ukraine and build protected facilities for weapons and military equipment, Starmer said.
According to the British Prime Minister, Great Britain also wants to take part in US-led monitoring of a possible ceasefire. In the long term, the country wants to provide Ukraine with defensive weapons. It’s about creating a basis for long-term peace, he said. (hkl/sda/dpa)