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UK considers sending troops to train Ukrainians

by DD Staff

December 19, 2024

Ukrainian soldiers

key takeaways

The option of sending British troops to Ukraine to assist in training its armed forces is being contemplated by the Ministry of Defense.

John Healey, the secretary of defense, has been in Kyiv to talk about plans to give Ukraine more assistance in the upcoming year.

According to defense officials, he has not ruled out deploying UK troops to Ukraine to assist with training, but he declined to elaborate on those preparations.

Ukrainian forces are currently being trained in the UK by Britain. Additionally, there is a small group of British Army doctors training inside Ukraine.

Healey came to Kyiv with the promise of an additional £225m of military support – for more drones, artillery shells and air defences.

But he said he had also been discussing how to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for the coming year. That, he said, involved more weapons, more training and more sanctions on Russia.

Defence sources say that one option under consideration is sending British troops to Ukraine to help train their forces. Speaking to the BBC, Healey declined to give specifics.

"The detail of our joint Ukrainian plan will have to remain, let's say, unavailable to [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin," he said.

US President-elect Donald Trump has promised to try to bring an end to the war. Some Western nations have been discussing how they might provide security guarantees for Ukraine should that happen.

Healey said he would wait to see Trump's plans but the defence secretary said his primary duty was to do everything possible for Ukraine while it continued its fight.

His comments come ahead of a meeting in Brussels on Thursday, which will be attended by Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well representatives of EU countries and Nato.

Lammy, echoing the defence secretary, said the discussion would focus on what further support was needed to "put Ukraine in the strongest possible position as we head into and through 2025".

"It is hugely important that allies right across Europe step up in that support they are giving Ukraine, the training that is still necessary for their armed forces, the finances that we still need over the longer term, and we have to find innovative ways to find that finance," he added.

The UK and other Nato members have not sent troops to Ukraine or enforced a no-fly zone over the country, for fear of being pulled into a direct conflict with Russia. However, individual members have supplied arms and equipment.

The situation in Ukraine was also discussed when Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Trump during a phone call on Wednesday.

"The Prime Minister reiterated the need for allies to stand together with Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and to ensure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position," said a Downing Street spokesperson.