UK has no plans to send troops to Ukraine, says Rishi Sunak

The UK is not considering sending troops to Ukraine, New Voice of Ukraine reports citing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's remark in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica on June 14.

Sunak discussed the G7 summit's decision to use funds from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, viewing this move as a sign that "the G7 is prepared for anything."

He also urged the international community to boost defence investments, stating that "the world has become dangerous and unpredictable."

When questioned about using Western weapons against targets in Russia, Sunak said that missiles should be deployed "in compliance with international humanitarian laws."

Sunak previously stated that Ukraine can decide how to use the weapons provided to it.

After a conference on supporting Ukraine held in Paris on Feb. 26, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine's Western allies would form a coalition to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with long-range weapons and that sending Western troops to Ukraine in the future should not be ruled out.

In response to Macron's statements, Poland, the United States, Germany, Czechia, Canada, and the United Kingdom rejected the idea.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas kept open the possibility of sending troops but clarified that they would only be for training missions.

Dutch Army General Staff Chief General Onno Eichelsheim said “All options should remain open.”

European NATO states have been studying the possibility of sending NATO troops to Ukraine for weeks, AFP reported.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal explained on Feb. 29 that French troops could participate in the war on Ukraine's side to protect certain borders, take part in exercises, or support ground air defence. He dismissed the possibility of French soldiers participating “directly on the frontline.”

France is prepared to send instructors to train Ukrainian military personnel, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi said on May 27 after a conversation with French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

Discussions about French instructors are ongoing, and Ukraine is currently preparing documents to expedite the process once a decision is made, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry later clarified.

Le Monde reported on May 30 that Macron wants to create a European coalition of military instructors to train Ukrainian troops.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on May 30 that Germany will not join France in sending military instructors to Ukraine to train soldiers.