More than 30 countries will be involved in the “coalition of the willing” to help end the war in Ukraine and a “significant number” will provide troops, Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman has said.
On Saturday, leaders from 26 Western countries – plus two EU leaders and NATO’s secretary general – gathered for a virtual call hosted by Sir Keir after Ukraine’s president accepted a 30-day interim ceasefire agreement.
He said military chiefs will meet on Thursday to discuss the next “operational phase” to protecting Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force if a peace deal can be agreed with Russia.
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On Monday, the prime minister’s spokesman revealed they now expect “more than 30” countries to be involved in the coalition – but did not reveal which other countries had joined since Saturday.
He added: “The contribution capabilities will vary, but this will be a significant force, with a significant number of countries
providing troops and a larger group contributing in other ways.”
The spokesman did not reveal which countries agreed to be part of a peacekeeping force, which Sir Keir and French leader Emmanuel Macron have confirmed the UK and France will be part of.
“The coalition of the willing, we expect more than 30 countries to be involved,” the spokesman said.
“It involves more than sending troops, and will involve contributing in other ways.”
Asked if British troops fired on by Russia in Ukraine would be allowed to fire back, the spokesman said: “It’s worth remembering that Russia didn’t ask Ukraine when it deployed troops.
“We’ve got operational planning meetings that they are going through.”
He also said he did not know if the US – notably absent from the coalition – will be joining the military chiefs’ meeting on Thursday, but said the UK is having “regular discussions with our American counterparts”.
The leaders involved in Saturday’s call were from: Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and the UK.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Antonio Costa also joined.
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