UK to Host Closed Meeting of Senior Military Leaders to Discuss Ukraine Peacekeeping Plans

The UK will host a closed-door meeting on Thursday with senior military leaders from the “coalition of the willing” to discuss plans for a potential “peacekeeping force” in Ukraine, BBC reported on March 20.

Plans for a Western-led “peacekeeping force” in Ukraine are reportedly moving toward an operational phase.

Senior military leaders from over 20 countries, part of the “coalition of the willing” led by Britain and France, will meet at the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood to discuss how the force could be deployed.

Earlier, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited one of Britain’s nuclear submarines, HMS Vanguard, as it returned to Scotland from patrol.

Defense Secretary John Healey, who accompanied Starmer, reaffirmed the government’s “unshakeable” commitment to the nuclear deterrent, calling it “the ultimate guarantor of our national security and the security of our NATO allies.”

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War in Ukraine

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Armed Forces minister Luke Pollard said they want the coalition to be a “credible force” that would allow Ukraine to “enjoy a lasting peace” and “reconstitute and rearm”.

“[Vladimir] Putin won’t stop if he wins in Ukraine. If he subjugates the entirety of Ukraine – which is his plan and has been for many years – he will simply rearm and look where else he can extend his influence and his domination,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“That is not in our interest as a country, certainly not in the interest of our European friends.”

Pollard said securing peace in Ukraine may mean “some boots on the ground,” but the force will also “have a strong feature of air and maritime forces”.

However, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow will not tolerate NATO troops in Ukraine, regardless of their mandate.

On March 17, it was revealed that Starmer signaled Britain’s willingness to send troops to Ukraine for a long-term mission aimed at securing a potential ceasefire and deterring future Russian aggression.

Previously, speaking at a press conference following the “Securing Our Future” Summit in London on March 2, Starmer announced the creation of a “coalition of the willing” to support a coordinated peace plan for Ukraine.