Britain has signaled its willingness to deploy peacekeeping troops in support of a Ukraine peace deal as European leaders met in Paris on Monday to coordinate their response, while U.S. and Russian officials prepared for separate negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
The emergency European summit followed President Trump’s announcement that his administration, Kyiv’s primary military backer, would engage in direct talks with Russia. Moscow has ruled out territorial concessions, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected negotiations that exclude Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s remarks on Sunday underscored Europe’s growing realization that it must take a larger role in Ukraine’s security. Washington has urged European nations to reduce their dependence on the U.S. for defense.
European leaders, including Starmer, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, met at the Élysée Palace, where French President Emmanuel Macron had already spoken with Trump. Germany stated it was open to sending ground troops but did not expect concrete agreements from the summit. Sweden and the Netherlands signaled possible troop contributions under a clear mandate and U.S. security backing. However, Poland, which has NATO’s third-largest army, declined to participate, and Spain said it was too early to commit.
Trump’s announcement last week that he had spoken directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin without prior consultation with Ukraine or European allies sent shockwaves through the region. High-level U.S.-Russia talks are set to take place in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, leading up to a potential Trump-Putin meeting.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in Riyadh on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, key members of Trump’s negotiating team. On the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov are expected to participate, according to the Kremlin.
The French presidency said the Paris summit would explore security commitments from both European and American partners, with peacekeeping forces as one possible component.
Starmer, who is expected to meet Trump in Washington next week, described the moment as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity for European security. He reiterated Britain’s commitment to leading efforts to secure Ukraine’s future, stating that the U.K. was prepared to deploy troops if necessary.
