How ready is the UK to send troops to Ukraine? Join The Independent Debate

Is the UK’s pledge to send troops to Ukraine realistic in 2026, or does it risk overstretching a military already under pressure?

Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron and Sir Keir Starmer pictured at the summit (PA Wire)

As Prime Minister Keir Starmer signs a historic deal to deploy British troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement with Russia, questions are mounting over whether the UK is ready for such a commitment.

Sir Richard Shirreff, former deputy commander of Nato, cautiously welcomed the pledge, but stressed that any UK deployment must “have the right numbers, the means, and there’s got to be proper capabilities.”

He told LBC this week: “There’s not going to be a peace until Russia is forced into it. At least now there is a clear plan from France and the UK to provide a reassurance force or an enforcement force.”

Other experts have also cautioned that a deployment of 10,000 troops could strain the Regular Army, the RAF, and the Royal Navy, and that significantly larger numbers would be needed to have any real impact on the ground.

Reform leader Nigel Farage ridiculed the pledge, asking, “With what boots? What kit?” and warning that the UK could only maintain a presence for a few weeks at most.

Supporters, however, argue that, despite these limitations, the UK’s forces are highly capable and that a well-equipped contingent could provide vital reassurance to Ukraine and Nato allies.

Defence spending is set to rise in the coming years, with modernisation programmes underway and recruitment drives aiming to bolster the armed forces.

But with military commitments, global threats, and domestic defence needs all competing for attention, the debate over whether Britain should put boots on the ground is far from straightforward.

Should the UK follow through on its pledge to Ukraine, or are there limits to what its armed forces can realistically achieve?

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