British military criticised Starmer’s peacekeeping plan for Ukraine - Telegraph
The initiative of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to form a "coalition of the willing" to support peace in Ukraine has been rejected by military sources and political opponents, who called it "political theatre".
According to Censor.NET, The Telegraph reports this with reference to high-ranking sources in the British army.
At the beginning of the month, the Prime Minister said that a number of countries were ready to enforce a potential peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. However, no specific details on the composition of the troops and the types of weapons that could be used have been provided. The military noted that Starmer was "got ahead of himself" with these statements.
Steve Witkoff, a spokesman for former US President Donald Trump, called this idea "posturing", stressing that it was based on a "simplistic" perception of the situation.
Meanwhile, there have been reports that the White House is seeking to mediate peace talks before 20 April, the date of Easter in Western and Orthodox churches. However, one British military source stressed that it was not "remotely possible" for a plan of support for Ukraine to be drawn up in that time.
Last week, The Telegraph reported that British air force fighter jets could patrol Ukraine's skies as part of proposals being discussed at a meeting of the 30 coalition nations at PJHQ in Northwood. The possibility of using Typhoon fighter jets to provide air cover to any troops on the ground has also been considered, but the exact number of troops that could be sent remains unclear.
One defence source described the talks as being in their "early stages" and are more political in nature. "There’s no military sense in it," he added. The source also noted that Russia and the United States do not support the idea of a UK-led coalition, and the mission itself remains uncertain. "What is a 10,000-international force based in the west of the country over 400km from the front line meant to do?" he asked a rhetorical question.
Despite the criticism, the UK Ministry of Defence said that the coalition continues to gain strength, and that the countries involved are ready to step up efforts to ensure peace. On Monday, the Chief of the UK Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, will meet with his French counterparts in London to discuss further cooperation. He dismissed accusations that the plans are not serious, saying that the coalition is doing "critical and substantial work".
Former UK Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace, however, expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the talks. "The question for Europe and Britain is resolve," he said, stressing that unless the West demonstrates a willingness to act decisively, "nothing will change on the battlefield."
