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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to visit the United States and present a peace plan for Ukraine to US President Donald Trump, according to The Telegraph.
During his visit to Washington, Starmer is expected to outline how European forces could help enforce any potential ceasefire agreement brokered by Trump. Starmer’s plan includes a request for US fighter jets and missiles to remain on standby in Eastern Europe to respond forcefully if Russia breaches the terms of a potential truce.
The British prime minister aims to position himself as a “bridge” between the US administration and Europe, working to convince Trump that the US has a vested interest in preventing Russia from invading Ukraine a third time.
According to an Anglo-French plan, at least 30,000 European-led troops will be stationed in Ukrainian cities, ports, and critical infrastructure sites, such as nuclear power plants, far from the current frontlines. The focus of the mission will be on “technical monitoring,” including reconnaissance planes, surveillance drones, and satellites to provide a complete picture of what is happening on the ground.
The operation will be backed by sufficient firepower to monitor and repel attacks, helping to reopen Ukraine’s airspace and make commercial flights possible again.
Additionally, naval patrol ships will be deployed to the Black Sea to monitor Russian threats to commercial shipping routes. The protection could also include US fighter jets stationed in Romania and Poland, ready to respond to any future Russian aggression.
However, the plan does not involve peacekeepers along the frontlines. Instead, peacekeepers would focus on protecting cities, ports, nuclear plants, and other critical infrastructure. Potential bases for these forces could be in cities like Poltava, Dnipro, and Kryvyi Rih.
This plan differs from the peacekeeping mission President Zelensky had suggested, which would require 200,000 peacekeepers in the event of a peace agreement. However, due to opposition from Germany, Spain, and Italy regarding the deployment of peacekeeping forces, Europe’s capacity to secure Ukraine’s future appears limited.
Read also: Trump Plans to “Revive” Mineral Deal with Ukraine
