Agencies LONDON/STOCKHOLM

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday he was ready to send British troops to Ukraine as part of any postwar peacekeeping force as he tried to show the  US that European nations should have a role in the talks on ending the conflict.

Starmer said he had not taken the decision to consider putting British servicemen and women "in harm's way" lightly, but securing a lasting peace in Ukraine was essential to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from further aggression. The end of Russia's war with Ukraine "when it comes, cannot merely become a temporary pause before Putin attacks again", Starmer wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper. Starmer's comments were the first time he has explicitly said he is considering deploying British peacekeepers to Ukraine. He has previously said that Britain was willing to help play a part in any peace deal that is negotiated.

In the article, Starmer said he was prepared to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by "putting our own troops on the ground if necessary". Starmer is expected to travel to Washington soon and he suggested on Sunday that Britain could play a "unique role" in the negotiations to end the war, acting as a bridge between Europe and the  US during the peace process in Ukraine. "Europe and America must continue to work closely together – and I believe the UK can play a unique role in helping to make this happen," he said.

"We are facing a once in a generation moment for the collective security of our continent. This is not only a question about the future of Ukraine. It is existential for Europe as a whole."