Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set next week to present a plan to U.S. President Donald Trump for the deployment of around 30,000 European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, The Telegraph reports, citing sources.
Starmer will explain how European forces could help enforce any ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S. president during their meeting in Washington.
He will also urge Trump to keep American fighter jets and missiles stationed in Eastern Europe that would be ready to respond with force if Russia violates the terms of any ceasefire, the report adds.
At an emergency meeting of EU and British leaders in Paris, Macron and Starmer introduced the “reassurance force” strategy, which was developed amid concerns that Trump might distance himself from Ukraine and any ceasefire agreement after it is signed.
Starmer has promised to act as a “bridge” between Washington and Europe, emphasizing the importance of the U.S. continuing to prevent further Russian aggression in Ukraine should the fighting end.
According to the Anglo-French plan, up to 30,000 troops, led by European forces, could be deployed in Ukrainian cities, ports, and critical infrastructure sites, such as nuclear power plants, positioned as far from the current frontline as possible.
European diplomats have not said so far how the peacekeeping force would react if they are fired upon.
The mission would include “technical monitoring,” including intelligence, surveillance aircraft, drones, and satellites, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the situation, sources said.
Such an operation would require a “backstop” from the U.S. to deter Russia from launching another attack, the publication reports.
“The purpose of the backstop would be to have the confidence that whatever forces are deployed will not be challenged by Russia,” the Western official said, suggesting the possibility of positioning American fighter jets in Romania and Poland.
Starmer on Feb. 16 said Britain is ready to deploy troops in Ukraine for peacekeeping missions. The Netherlands and Sweden have also expressed their readiness, while German Chancellor Scholz described the initiative as “premature.”
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