Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that MPs will be given a debate and vote before any UK troops are deployed on peacekeeping duties in Ukraine. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer confirmed that Britain and France are ready to send troops if a peace deal is reached, following discussions at a summit in Paris.
Starmer said: “Were troops to be deployed under the declaration signed, I would put that matter to the house for a vote.” He added that the number of troops would be determined by military plans and put before Parliament before deployment. The deployment would occur only after a ceasefire and would involve “deterrent operations” and protecting military hubs.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised Starmer for not making a full Commons statement, saying it was “astonishing” that he had not done so. She noted that no previous prime minister had failed to make a statement after committing to troop deployment. Starmer responded that a statement was not needed as the decision was a political declaration under existing military plans.
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said he would like an “early statement” on the matter. Badenoch also raised concerns that Starmer had not spoken to US President Donald Trump four days after the US military intervention in Venezuela, and urged him to call a Nato meeting over Greenland. Starmer noted that Badenoch had previously criticised him for missing PMQs to attend a Nato summit.
