UK is ready to put boots on ground in Ukraine in case of ceasefire - Healey
If a ceasefire is reached, the UK is ready to send troops to Ukraine.
According to Censor.NET, citing the BBC, this was stated by British Defence Secretary John Healey.
Thus, according to him, the UK is ready to send troops to Ukraine to strengthen the ceasefire, if it is reached. At the same time, he noted that the British government is ready to "step up economic sanctions and pressure on Putin if he shows today in Alaska he really isn't serious".
Asked if the UK's role was to "watch and wait", Healey said: "No, the UK's role is to stand with Ukraine on the battlefield and in the negotiations, and prepare as we have been, leading 30 other nations with military planning for a ceasefire and a secure peace through what we call the coalition of the willing."
He noted that more than 200 military planners from the Coalition had been working over the last few months "doing detailed planning for the point of a ceasefire". Multi-national forces were "ready to act from day one" and "the military plans are complete."
"We are ready to put UK boots on the ground in Ukraine in part to reassure Ukrainians. But also in part to secure the safe skies, safe seas and to build the strength of the Ukrainian forces, because in the end the best deterrence against Russia... re-launching their aggression against Ukraine is the strength of Ukraine to stand for itself," Healey emphasised.
Asked what would happen if Russia attacked British troops when they were in Ukraine, Healey said he would not discuss hypotheticals. However, he added that there were "important principles" and that British forces would have "the right to defend themselves if attacked".
