UK to convene ‘coalition of the willing’ for fresh | Australian Markets

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Sir Keir Starmer will on Saturday convene a assembly of leaders from international locations keen to help secure any ceasefire deal in Ukraine, as army planning for a peacekeeping operation intensifies.

The UK prime minister will host a “virtual meeting” of what he known as “a coalition of the willing” — a group of primarily European and Commonwealth international locations keen to help secure a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow.

Downing Avenue on Monday mentioned the precise contributors had but to be confirmed. British officers final week mentioned that “about 20” international locations had been holding talks about how they could assist Ukraine if preventing stops.

The assembly will come on the finish of a week of intense diplomacy, which can see Ukraine and the US maintain bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia on a deal for mineral rights in Ukraine and a ceasefire.

In France, President Emmanuel Macron has additionally convened talks with military chiefs from European international locations on Tuesday, and a assembly of defence ministers from the UK, Italy, Germany and Poland.

Britain and France have provided to deploy what they call a “reassurance force” of troops inside Ukraine supposed to discourage Russia from renewing its assaults. The drive would help defend cities and key websites like energy plants or industry.

British officers have conceded that not all international locations within the “coalition of the willing” are ready to put boots on the ground.

However they mentioned all nations had been ready to help indirectly, for instance in offering logistical or “backfilling” for UK or French troops presently deployed in different theatres.

Starmer has struggled to search out international locations to commit firmly to a army operation inside Ukraine, with many ready first to see the form of any peace deal and whether or not the US will assist it.

Poland, for instance, has provided logistics assist regardless of ruling out placing troops on the ground. Norway’s overseas minister Espen Barth Eide advised the BBC on Sunday the nation could be “happy to contribute in one way or the other”, however was unable to decide to particular assist.

Italy has declined to take part whereas Germany and Spain have mentioned it’s too early to say. Eire, Luxembourg and Belgium have mentioned they’ll think about collaborating if obligatory.

Whereas most contributors are European international locations, Canada has provided to help and Starmer additionally hopes that Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, will be part of the trouble.

The 2 leaders spoke on the weekend and Downing Avenue mentioned Starmer “welcomed Prime Minister Albanese’s commitment to consider contributing to a coalition of the willing for Ukraine”.

Senior army officers from the group will meet in Paris on Tuesday to debate practicalities for a peace operation, with Britain represented by chief of defence employees Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.

Starmer has mentioned the peacekeeping drive might solely achieve success if the US supplies a army backstop, together with air cowl and surveillance. US President Donald Trump has up to now refused to offer such assist.

British officers mentioned they believed there was a “chicken and egg” scenario, the place European capitals look forward to Trump to offer US army cowl for a peace drive whereas Trump waits to see if the Europeans — and probably Canada and Australia — are keen to run a severe operation in Ukraine.

Trump has ratcheted up the strain on Kyiv to agree a ceasefire since an Oval Workplace bust up with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with reducing off army and intelligence assist to Ukraine.

Starmer and Macron have been working to restore the rift and to develop a peace plan to current to Trump. Ukraine’s bilateral talks with the US this week have led to a quiet shift in ways, with British officers leaving the talks with US to Kyiv — albeit whereas offering advice within the background.

“It is great that Ukraine is talking directly to the US again now,” mentioned one British official, referring to the talks this week in Saudi Arabia.

The UK’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell final weekend travelled to Kyiv to advise Zelenskyy’s group on how to deal with the discussions.