The UK does not have enough troops or equipment to sustain a large peacekeeping force in Ukraine for an extended period, a former defence chief has warned.
Lord Richard Dannatt, ex-head of the British Army, supported Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s commitment to playing a key role in any future peacekeeping mission but cautioned that such a deployment would require significant investment.
“We haven’t got the numbers and we haven’t got the equipment to put a large force onto the ground for an extended period at the present moment,” he said, stressing that a major UK role would come at a “considerable cost.”
Sir Keir is in Paris for emergency talks with European leaders, as concerns mount over Donald Trump’s push for a deal with Vladimir Putin and fears that the US may scale back its defence commitments in Europe.
Trump’s Defence Secretary, Pete Hegsweth, has already sparked backlash by suggesting that annexed Crimea would remain under Russian control—drawing comparisons to appeasement policies before World War II.
Calling the crisis a “once in a generation moment” and an “existential” issue for Europe, Starmer reaffirmed Britain’s support for Ukraine, pledging £3 billion in annual military aid until 2030. He also said the UK must be “ready and willing” to provide security guarantees, including deploying troops if necessary.
However, Lord Dannatt warned that such a commitment requires urgent military investment. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said:
“If the Prime Minister is serious about wanting to put boots on the ground in Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force, he’s got to realise that’s going to come at a considerable cost.”
He added that while the British Army would step up if required, the government must fund personnel, training, and equipment to make such a mission sustainable.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks with senior Russian officials on a possible peace deal. However, Ukraine and several European leaders have been excluded from negotiations.
Sir Keir insisted that Ukraine must be directly involved in any settlement, rejecting any deal that ignores its sovereignty. He also called for tougher economic pressure on Russia, including stricter sanctions on its oil exports and financial networks.
With uncertainty over US involvement, European nations face growing pressure to strengthen their own defence capabilities. The high-stakes Paris summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, has brought together leaders from Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, and senior EU and NATO officials to coordinate their response.
