The United Kingdom and its international partners are prepared to support Ukraine both ahead of potential peace negotiations and in implementing any future settlement, British Defence Secretary John Healey has said.
Speaking to the BBC during a visit to Kyiv on the eve of a high-level meeting in Paris, Healey said Ukraine’s allies were ready to "help make the skies safe, to make the seas safe, and to secure the land" once peace is achieved.
However, in a contrasting message from Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared defiant, suggesting the full-scale invasion could continue.
He reiterated Russia's maximalist demands, including claims of discrimination against ethnic Russians in Ukraine, and issued a veiled threat of continuing the war unless a resolution favourable to Moscow is reached.
Healey dismissed Putin's remarks as bluster and praised US President Donald Trump for keeping diplomatic options open. Despite criticism over Trump’s warm reception of Putin in Alaska last month, Healey noted that Trump had not ruled out punitive measures and had even urged Putin to pursue a ceasefire.
During a Wednesday news conference, Putin said there was "a certain light at the end of the tunnel" regarding peace prospects, but added: "If not, then we will have to resolve all our tasks militarily." He mocked the idea of meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, sarcastically suggesting Zelensky travel to Moscow—a proposal Ukraine's foreign minister called "knowingly unacceptable."
French President Emmanuel Macron, who accused Putin of manipulating Trump, is set to host the Coalition of the Willing in Paris on Thursday. This group of Ukraine’s allies is reportedly ready to offer security guarantees, contingent on US endorsement.
The proposed framework includes continued military training for Ukraine and the deployment of European troops—pending a ceasefire—to deter future Russian aggression. Healey declined to share details, warning it would “only make Putin wiser.”
Despite this, Germany and other allies like Italy have ruled out deploying troops for now, stressing the need for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Russia has intensified aerial assaults, launching over 500 drones and 24 cruise missiles overnight.
The civilian toll remains high. A missile strike last week in Kyiv killed 22, including four children. Survivors now sift through the ruins of their homes, and many Ukrainians, like Ihor Maharynsky—who lost his wife in the attack—express fury over Trump's outreach to Putin.
Source: BBC
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