Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made a significant commitment to the House of Commons, promising that MPs will be granted a vote before any British military personnel are deployed on the ground in Ukraine.
PMQs Clash Over Deployment Details
The pledge came during a heated session of Prime Minister's Questions, where Sir Keir faced direct challenges from the Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch. Badenoch pressed the Prime Minister for specific details on how many UK personnel could be sent as part of a proposed security guarantee for a potential peace deal with Russia.
Sir Keir declined to provide further operational specifics, stating he would update Parliament at the earliest opportunity. "If there is a decision to deploy then I would put that matter to this House," the Prime Minister told MPs, reinforcing the principle of parliamentary scrutiny over military action.
The 'Paris Declaration' and Security Guarantees
This commitment follows the Prime Minister's high-level diplomatic talks in the French capital yesterday. Sir Keir, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, signed a pivotal agreement known as the 'Paris Declaration'.
The document outlines a framework where Britain and France would establish military hubs across Ukraine in the event a peace deal is struck with Russia. This forms part of a broader 'Multinational Force for Ukraine', intended to act as a reassurance force should the near four-year conflict reach a negotiated end.
"Yesterday, I stood side by side with our European and American allies and President Zelensky at the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Paris," Sir Keir reported to the Commons. "We made real progress on security guarantees, which are vital for securing a just and lasting peace."
International Backing and the Path Ahead
The Paris talks saw significant international engagement, including the presence of Steve Witkoff, appointed as Donald Trump's peace envoy, and Jared Kushner, the former US President's son-in-law. Kushner indicated that the United States is prepared to provide security guarantees, with Trump ready to offer "real backstops" to the proposed peacekeeping force.
Despite this diplomatic momentum, the Prime Minister struck a note of caution. At a press conference in Paris, he stated that while Ukraine and its allies were "closer" to peace "than ever", the hardest challenges remain. He directly warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "not showing that he's ready for peace".
The Prime Minister concluded his statement to MPs by reiterating his commitment to transparency: "I will keep the house updated as the situation develops and, were troops to be deployed under the declaration signed, I would put that matter to the House for a vote." The details of the declaration of intent are expected to be laid before Parliament in a formal statement soon.
