Starmer and Zelenskyy discuss meeting regarding "deterrent forces" in Ukraine
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the evening of 31 March, during which they particularly discussed deploying Western troops in Ukraine.
Source: European Pravda, citing the UK government website
Details: Starmer and Zelenskyy discussed the coalition of the willing meeting last week in Paris "and agreed there was real momentum to support Ukraine's security for the long term".
"A meeting of the British, French and Ukrainian military leadership in the coming days would drive forward the next stage of detailed planning (of the contingent – ed.), the Prime Minister added," Downing Street noted.
Zelenskyy and Starmer also honoured the third anniversary of the liberation of the city of Bucha in Kyiv Oblast, which became the first testimony of the numerous war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.
In his post on X (Twitter) regarding the conversation, Zelenskyy said that Starmer shared details about his talk with US President Donald Trump, "during which they discussed the outcomes of the recent leaders' meeting in Paris and the importance of maintaining pressure on Putin".
Zelenskyy also confirmed that the meeting of general staff representatives from countries ready to provide their contingents will be held "in Ukraine later this week".
Background:
- It was reported that the coalition of the willing, led by France and the UK, has been working for the last few weeks on a plan to send thousands of soldiers to Ukraine to guarantee a future "ceasefire".
- On 27 March in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a Franco-British mission will travel to Ukraine to work on strengthening Ukraine's defence forces. He added that work is continuing on the potential deployment of so-called "deterrent forces" in Ukraine.
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