UK peacekeepers in Ukraine: Step towards peace or path to global conflict?

The prospect of British peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine under a potential peace agreement has raised concerns among military experts, with fears that it could escalate into a broader conflict.

Former British spymaster Colonel Philip Ingram warns that any peace deal could quickly unravel, risking British troops becoming caught in the middle of a "shooting war" with Russia, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“Keir Starmer's future 'peacekeeping' force in Ukraine could be one misstep away from sparking World War Three, leaving British troops stuck in the middle of an apocalyptic 'shooting war',” he remarked.

He explained, "The nightmare scenario is you get a peace agreement and there is a political rush to put troops on the ground and then something changes, and it turns into a shooting war and you’re caught in the middle."

The scenario could unfold with Russia launching a surprise attack on peacekeeping troops, prompting aggressive retaliation from the UK and its allies. This could trigger all-out war in Europe, according to analysts, who suggest that missile exchanges between Russia and NATO forces could rapidly escalate.

This uncertainty comes after former US President Donald Trump revealed his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over a pact to end the war, igniting a political storm, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning that any deal excluding Ukraine would be unacceptable. European leaders, meanwhile, have called for emergency security discussions over the future of negotiations.

Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, has suggested that British troops may need to enforce a peace deal, following Trump’s refusal to send US soldiers. Colonel Ingram warns that deploying peacekeepers would involve substantial risk, with a potential force of 100,000 troops required to police a demilitarized zone between Russia and Ukraine.

He cautioned, "The force needs to be credible and needs to be ready to fight. If you don’t have a robust and credible force, you just put your troops in more danger." Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon echoed this sentiment, stressing that any peacekeeping force must be heavily armed to deter Russian aggression.

As the situation continues to evolve, military experts fear the risks of Russia reneging on any peace agreement, potentially reigniting hostilities and undermining NATO's cohesion.

By Vafa Guliyeva