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British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has stepped into the void vacated by the US to announce a significant increase in the nation’s defence spending, while indicating that he would commit British “boots and planes” to maintain peace in Ukraine.
Just days after a fiery clash in the Oval Office with US President Donald Trump and US Vice President JD Vance, Ukraine’s prospects of a negotiated settlement to the ongoing conflict with Russia, or continued support to counter Russian aggression, appears to have made a turnaround.
Leading the charge for a European-centric peace settlement is UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who along with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders, hosted a summit at Lancaster House in London to identify the avenues for Europe to step up its support for Ukraine without significant support from the United States.
As part of this, the United Kingdom and France have proposed a one-month truce between Ukraine and Russia, encompassing air, sea and infrastructure domains. This initiative aims to build trust and assess Russia’s commitment to de-escalation.
In addition to this, European nations are also considering deploying troops to enforce the ceasefire, underscoring Europe’s pivotal role in the peace process, with Prime Minister Starmer saying, “Let me be clear, we agree with [President] Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together.”
Going further, the Prime Minister stressed that while the European community wouldn’t be going it entirely alone, it would be a largely European affair, stating, “We have agreed that the UK, France and others will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting. Then we’ll discuss that plan with the United States. And take it forward together.”
In order to deliver this, Starmer provided a £2.2 billion (AU$4.45 billion) loan for military aid to the beleaguered nation, financed by seized Russian assets, along with an additional deal worth £1.6 billion (AU$3.24 billion) via UK Export Finance to acquire 5,000 air defence missiles built in Belfast, under a contract with Thales.
Starmer added, “My support for Ukraine is unwavering. I am determined to find a way forward that brings an end to Russia’s illegal war and guarantees Ukraine a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security. By doubling down on our support, working closely with key partners and ensuring Ukraine has a strong voice at the table, I believe we can achieve a strong, lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace in Ukraine.”
This deal comes on top of the announcement by Starmer following his own meeting with US President Trump, that he had committed the UK government to immediately increase the UK defence budget to 2.6 per cent of gross domestic product by April 2027, along with a longer term commitment to increase defence spending to 3 per cent by the end of the decade.
The British Prime Minister said at the time, “It is my first duty as Prime Minister to keep our country safe. In an ever more dangerous world, increasing the resilience of our country so we can protect the British people, resist future shocks and bolster British interests, is vital.”
However, by far, the most powerful remarks by the British Prime Minister was his commitment to partner with European support to establish a “Coalition of the Willing” to defend a deal in Ukraine.
Unpacking this and the significant ramifications, Starmer stressed, “The UK is prepared to back this. With boots on the ground and planes in the air. Together with others, Europe must do the heavy lifting. But to support peace on our continent and to succeed, this effort must have strong US backing. We’re working with the US on this point, after my meeting with President Trump last week.”
In order to support this, the UK government’s commitment to increased defence spending and corresponding investment will see efforts to build a modern, resilient UK Armed Forces, accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge capabilities essential to maintaining a decisive advantage as threats rapidly evolve.
The UK government stated that these targeted investments will seek to reverse decades of decline, replenishing stockpiles, munitions and critical enablers depleted by a prolonged focus on international terrorism and global crises and will see this transformation underpinned by enhanced productivity, efficiency and financial discipline across the defence sector.
Ultimately now, the question becomes if British, French and other European troops are ultimately deployed as a “trip-wire” in Ukraine in order to maintain a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine while also providing the smaller nation with long sought after security guarantees, what happens if British, European and Russian troops exchange hostile fire? Is that the ball game?
