MPs to get vote on deploying UK peacekeeping troops to Ukraine
MPs will vote in the House of Commons before Britain deploys peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
However, the prime minister will not benefit from the number of soldiers Britain could send to defend the country in the event of a ceasefire in the war with Russia.
Nor does Number 10 guarantee that the vote will be binding. Asked whether MPs could block the mandate, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I think we are getting ahead of ourselves.”
On Tuesday, Britain and France signed a historic agreement pledging to get on the ground as soon as any peace deal comes into force.
Sir Keir told MPs on Wednesday that if troops were to be deployed as part of the declaration signed with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, “I would put this matter to a vote in Parliament.”
It came after the plans were questioned by a former armed forces chief who said any peacekeeping force would need “significant numbers” of troops to counter Russia.
Sir Richard Shirreff, who served as NATO’s deputy supreme allied commander in Europe between 2011 and 2014, said allied forces must “pass” to fight against Russia if Vladimir Putin breaks his country’s ceasefire agreement.
The document, signed at a summit in Paris, was praised as “an important step forward” towards creating a coalition of those seeking to guarantee peace in the war-torn country. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also said that his country may soon sign an agreement to send troops to Ukraine to support peacekeeping efforts.
The agreement was made possible by the US presence at the summit; Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, confirmed the president “strongly, strongly, strongly” supports security guarantees and will provide support to make it work.
But the apparent breakthrough in Ukraine comes as European countries are scrambling to react to Mr Trump’s claim to Greenland, the sovereign territory of the EU’s NATO ally Denmark.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said it was “surprising” that Sir Keir had not made a statement in Parliament about the Ukraine deal with France.
Ms Badenoch said the decision showed a “fundamental lack of respect” for MPs and their constituents.
To Conservative MPs’ cries for “when”, Sir Keir responded: “A statement will be made to Parliament as soon as possible.”
He added: “If there had been a decision on deployment under the agreement signed yesterday, then I would have put it before this House for discussion and a vote on deployment. This is consistent with recent practice and I will abide by it.”
Pressed by Ms Badenoch on how many British troops could be deployed and whether they would undertake a combat role, the prime minister said any deployment would only take place after a ceasefire and would be “to support Ukraine’s capabilities, conduct deterrence operations and build and maintain military centres”.
“The number will be determined in accordance with the military plans we have prepared and which we expect other members to support. That is why I will put the number before the Parliament before deployment,” he said.
No 10 later refused to say how many troops Britain might deploy to Ukraine. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said he “will not engage in potential power structures. The only person who benefits from this is Putin.”
Asked if the Prime Minister was satisfied that the British Army could deploy thousands of soldiers, he said: “Of course. We have full confidence in the British Armed Forces.”
It is understood that many countries, as well as Germany, have stated that they are considering joining France and the UK.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he would vote against sending troops to Ukraine.
“It would be a very interesting vote. I would vote against,” he told Times Radio, adding: “We neither have the manpower nor the equipment to go into an operation that clearly has no ending timeline.”
