Britain has expressed readiness to deploy peacekeeping troops to support any future peace agreement in Ukraine, as European leaders convened in Paris on Monday to coordinate a unified strategy. Meanwhile, Russian and U.S. officials are set to hold separate discussions.
The emergency summit in Paris comes amid shifting dynamics in Ukraine’s future, following an announcement by President Donald Trump’s administration that it will engage in negotiations with Russia. Ukraine, backed militarily by the U.S., has indicated willingness to discuss an end to the ongoing war. However, Russia has ruled out territorial concessions.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized Sunday the increasing recognition among European nations that they must take greater responsibility for Ukraine’s security. The United States has urged Europe to reduce dependence on Washington for defense support.
Deploying a peacekeeping mission could heighten the risk of direct confrontation with Russia while straining European military resources, already depleted by arms supplies to Ukraine and decades of relative peace. Additionally, financial concerns loom, as some European economies are already burdened by economic challenges.
On Monday, Germany stated it “will not shy away” from contributing ground troops to a structured framework in Ukraine but clarified that no formal agreements were expected at the Paris summit.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson acknowledged the “absolute possibility” of sending Swedish peacekeepers under a clear mandate. Meanwhile, Poland, which maintains NATO’s third-largest army, announced it would provide logistical and operational support but would refrain from deploying troops.
Last week, Trump unsettled Ukraine and its European allies by revealing he had initiated direct communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin, bypassing allied consultation.
Senior U.S. and Russian officials are scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, marking the highest-level in-person engagement between the two nations in years. The talks are expected to set the stage for a direct meeting between Trump and Putin.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with national security adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, departed for Riyadh. The Kremlin confirmed that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov will represent Russia.
Despite continued fighting, with Russia gradually advancing on the battlefield, Lavrov reiterated that Moscow would not cede control over any of the 20 percent of Ukrainian territory it currently occupies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking from the United Arab Emirates, dismissed the upcoming Saudi talks.
“Ukraine considers any negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine to be invalid. We cannot recognize any agreements made without our participation,” Zelenskyy stated.
Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg indicated Saturday that Europe will not be included in the negotiation process. Instead, Washington has circulated a questionnaire to European governments, inquiring about their willingness to contribute security guarantees for Ukraine, including potential troop deployments.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to host European leaders from Germany, Italy, Britain, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark, alongside representatives from the European Union and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Although Britain is no longer an EU member, it remains a strong supporter of Ukraine. Diplomatic sources suggest that London and Paris, as Europe’s leading military powers, have been exploring ceasefire support options since November.
The European Union, despite imposing unprecedented economic and diplomatic sanctions on Russia, has struggled to take a leadership role in ending the war.
With German Chancellor Olaf Scholz facing an election on Sunday, he reaffirmed Europe’s commitment:
“We must ensure that Europe meets future challenges with strength, sovereignty, and unity,” Scholz said.
Starmer, who is expected to visit Washington for talks with Trump next week, described the situation as a “once-in-a-generation moment” for European security. He urged close cooperation with the United States and reiterated Britain’s readiness to play a leading role in security guarantees for Ukraine, including deploying troops if necessary.
“The end of this war must not become a temporary pause before Putin attacks again,” Starmer wrote in the Daily Telegraph.
