Britain could send troops to Ukraine under £225m bailout package as defense secretary vows to ‘put a lot more pressure’ on Vladimir Putin
Britain could send troops to Ukraine as part of a £225m bailout package for Kiev, the defense secretary has hinted – as he vowed to ‘put a lot more pressure’ on Vladimir Putin.
John Healey seemed open to the idea of sending British soldiers to the war-torn country to train new Ukrainian recruits to fight the Russians.
Britain has already played a key role in preparing Ukrainian volunteers for the frontline, training more than 51,000 soldiers at British bases since Putin launched his full-scale invasion in 2022.
But in a possible change of direction, Mr Healey said Britain must now “make the training more in line with what the Ukrainians need” during his latest trip to Kiev.
The defense minister, 64, added that his son’s service as an army reservist helped him understand the “severity” of military actions abroad for soldiers’ families.
Speak with The timesthe Labor MP said: ‘We (must) make it easier for the Ukrainians to gain access and we (must) work with the Ukrainians to help them motivate and mobilize more recruits.’
Asked whether this means training of Ukrainian recruits within Britain should be extended to Ukraine itself, he added: ‘We will look everywhere we can to respond to what the Ukrainians want. They are the ones fighting.”
Last year, former Tory Defense Secretary Grant Shapps expressed support for such a move during an interview with the Sunday Telegraph.
Pictured are Ukrainian troops being trained to attack a trench of a British army base in north-west England
British forces have trained more than 51,000 Ukrainian soldiers since 2022. The photo shows a British soldier teaching Ukrainian recruits how to attack a building
Defense Secretary John Healey (right) is open to sending British troops to Ukraine to train new recruits. He is seen talking to British soldiers at the Stanford Training Area on October 20, 2024 near Thetford, England
Mr Healey is believed to be the first Labor government figure to put forward the same proposal.
It comes as the Defense Secretary revealed ambitions that Britain will put ‘much more pressure’ on Russia next year.
During his trip to the besieged Ukrainian capital, he revealed that Britain will send Ukraine an additional package of military aid worth £225 million, including lethal weapons.
Mr Healey met his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov yesterday and outlined how Britain will provide more air defense and electronic warfare equipment, and drones and ammunition for the country’s navy.
The equipment will be provided by the International Fund for Ukraine, with Western allies sharing the costs. Mr Healey also set out the priority areas for UK support.
These include Ukraine’s military capabilities on the battlefield, the training of its soldiers by British forces, improved industrial cooperation and increasing pressure on Russia.
Last night Mr Healey said: ‘The UK will strengthen its international leadership in Ukraine over the course of 2025.
‘We will expand our training offering and deliver battle-winning capabilities, included in our new £225 million package.
Ukrainian recruits and their trainers from the British Armed Forces pose for a photo on an AS90 self-propelled artillery system at a military facility, on February 23, 2023 in southern England
Putting their new skills into practice, Ukrainian soldiers break into a building as a British Army instructor looks on
John Healey (pictured) met his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov yesterday and outlined how Britain will provide more air defense and electronic warfare equipment, and drones and ammunition for the country’s navy.
‘During my meetings in Kiev, I made it clear that Britain’s support will continue for as long as it is needed, regardless of the situation in Ukraine, and that we will always stand shoulder to shoulder to ensure that Putin cannot win .’
Britain remains co-lead of both the international drone and maritime coalitions to supply Ukraine with cutting-edge new weapons and equipment.
The International Fund for Ukraine is a financing mechanism that uses financial contributions from international partners to rapidly purchase priority military equipment for Ukraine.
The fund is managed by the UK Ministry of Defense on behalf of an executive panel made up of Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Lithuania. These partners, along with Iceland, Australia, Portugal and New Zealand, have committed more than £1.3 billion to date.