UK considers troop deployment options for Ukraine defense

Western countries are increasing military planning to support Ukraine amid ongoing conflict with Russia. Officials from the UK government, known as Downing Street, said that “nothing is off the table” regarding the potential deployment of troops to aid Ukraine. They indicated that thousands of personnel may be needed for military operations by land, sea, or air. This announcement follows warnings from UK opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer, who stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin would face serious consequences for any violations of a truce. Starmer met with defense planners to discuss initial strategies at the Northwood military headquarters in the UK. Next week, allied officials will gather again at Northwood to finalize plans for protecting Kyiv and to move into a more operational phase. A spokesman confirmed that discussions would still include the option of deploying ground troops, stressing the need for careful planning and logistics. European and Commonwealth allies are pressuring Putin as he hesitates to fully commit to a peace agreement supported by the US and Ukraine. While Moscow has temporarily halted attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, civilians, including hospitals, have still been targeted. In upcoming days, delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the US will meet in Saudi Arabia for further peace discussions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope for a lasting peace deal this year but rejected the idea of the US taking ownership of Ukrainian power plants to guarantee their safety, saying it would only apply to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.