British and other European troops could return fire if attacked while serving as peacekeepers in Ukraine after a possible ceasefire, Western officials said. Any response would be defensive, one official familiar with the plans said, adding: “Clearly we will protect our forces against any aggression.”
The proposed Anglo-French-led stabilisation force is expected to be almost entirely European and would not depend on US systems or technology, including Starlink, officials said. Its potential deployment remains hypothetical, and the force is intended to operate well away from the front.
The plans were discussed as the UK and France announced Exercise Koalicja, an 11-country rehearsal scheduled to take place in Poland later this month. The exercise will involve 2,800 military personnel, with France providing 1,500 troops and Britain 300. Poland, Germany, Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Turkey are also participating.
The exercise will test how European forces could deploy rapidly to Ukraine if the war ends. Lt Gen Tom Bateman, the force’s commander, said the participating countries were committed to providing Ukraine with “robust and binding security guarantees” after hostilities cease. He said the exercise would test military readiness, rapid deployment and the ability to operate effectively.
Bateman described the force as non-Nato, meaning it would operate outside the alliance, and said it was expected to receive little or no US support if deployed. Asked whether it would rely on Starlink communications, an official said: “We are not dependent on US systems.”
The proposed rules of engagement would allow troops to defend themselves against Russian drone attacks. A central task for the force would be to help regenerate and strengthen Ukraine’s military after the war, Bateman said. The plans also include fighter patrols to help reopen Ukraine’s commercial airports and a Turkish-led effort to clear mines in the Black Sea to restore maritime trade.
The possibility of a deployment comes amid limited progress in renewed peace efforts. Russia and Ukraine have continued to attack each other’s energy infrastructure, while US President Donald Trump has said the United States would not commit troops to peacekeeping in Ukraine if a durable ceasefire is reached. A new round of three-way talks brokered by the US is planned for later this month.
Sources: The Guardian Politics.