UK Prime Minister is ready to send troops to Ukraine to secure peace: 'I do not say this lightly'

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Sunday in a column for The Telegraph that he is prepared to send British troops to Ukraine as part of an effort to secure peace in a post-conflict stage.

Starmer's message, unheard of since the war began, comes as talks between Russia, the United States and Ukraine move toward ending the conflict that began in 2021.

Some geopolitical experts interpret this as an attempt to demonstrate to Washington that European powers should participate in negotiations to end the war, a role that right now doesn't look entirely clear.

In his column, Starmer stressed that he does not take lightly the possibility of sending British soldiers to Ukraine, exposing them to "danger." For the British prime minister, securing a lasting peace in Ukraine is crucial for Europe, and can only be achieved by dissuading Russian President Vladimir Putin from another attack on the Ukrainian nation.

"[The end of Russia's war against Ukraine], when it comes, cannot simply become a temporary pause before Putin strikes again," Starmer wrote.

The prime minister then assured that he is ready to offer security guarantees to Ukraine, which would include sending British troops "if necessary."

"I do not say that lightly," he wrote. "I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm's way."

It is the first time Starmer has explicitly mentioned the possibility of deploying British troops as peacekeepers in Ukraine.

The message comes just before U.S. and Russian officials are due to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to start talks on resolving the war in Ukraine.

Several European leaders have conveyed concern about their role in the negotiations, with Washington taking an active and leading role on the sidelines of its Western allies.