UK PM Rishi Sunak: No Plans to Deploy British Soldiers in Ukraine Conflict

There are no immediate plans to deploy military instructors to Ukraine, according to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. This statement contradicts comments made by the country’s defence minister, Grant Shapps, who had suggested that troops could be sent to Ukraine for training purposes. Currently, Britain and its allies have chosen to avoid a formal military presence in Ukraine in order to minimize the risk of direct conflict with Russia. Shapps had expressed his desire to deploy military instructors to Ukraine and train Ukrainian armed forces either in Britain or other Western countries. However, Sunak clarified that there are no immediate plans to send British troops to Ukraine, stating that any potential training in the country would be a long-term consideration. Sunak also emphasized that no British soldiers would be involved in the ongoing conflict. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that any British soldiers providing training in Ukraine would be seen as legitimate targets by Russian forces. Despite this, Britain has already provided military training courses to around 20,000 Ukrainians over the past year and plans to continue training a similar number in the future. Shapps, in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, expressed his belief that there is scope to offer military training within Ukraine, particularly in the western part of the country. He also hoped that British defence companies, such as BAE Systems, would proceed with plans to establish arms factories in Ukraine. Shapps, in his conference speech, did not address his earlier comments but emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. He also mentioned that British peacekeeping troops would be sent to Kosovo soon following a surge in violence in the region. Additionally, British fighter jets were deployed to Poland in response to a request from the Polish government to help protect NATO’s eastern flank during the country’s national elections. The article concludes by stating that it has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.