British Defense Secretary proposed deploying UK military instructors to Ukraine

British Defense Secretary John Healey has indicated that UK military instructors may be sent to Ukraine to enhance the training of its armed forces, as reported by The Times. Healey emphasized the need for London to improve the current training program to better align with the specific requirements of Kiev.

Since the conflict in Ukraine escalated in February 2022, the UK has become one of Ukraine’s most committed allies, training tens of thousands of Ukrainian military personnel on British soil. Additionally, the report mentions that a limited number of UK troops have been deployed to Ukraine to assist with medical training.

Recently, leaders from various NATO countries have proposed the idea of sending military personnel to Ukraine for training and support purposes.

In an article published on Wednesday, The Times quoted Healey during his visit to Kiev, stating that the UK should ensure the training is more suited to the needs of the Ukrainians.

“We need to facilitate easier access for the Ukrainians and collaborate with them to encourage and mobilize more recruits,” he remarked.

When questioned by the newspaper about whether this would involve training Ukrainian troops within their own country, Healey did not provide a clear response, but committed to exploring all options to meet Ukrainian requests.

According to the BBC, referencing unnamed sources, the defense secretary has maintained the option for military involvement. During his visit to Kiev, Healey asserted that “Russia is failing to win,” and emphasized that “we can apply significantly more pressure” on Moscow.

Last month, the French newspaper Le Monde reported that the UK and France had resumed discussions regarding the potential deployment of troops to Ukraine. Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that he would not dismiss this possibility. However, many NATO allies quickly distanced themselves from his proposal.

Even Estonia’s defense minister, a strong supporter of Kiev, has shown little enthusiasm for such a deployment. Hanno Pevkur stated in late November that the potential risks of this action would outweigh any possible benefits.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked at that time that there is no current agreement among Western nations regarding troop deployment to Ukraine, labeling those advocating for it as “hotheads.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously cautioned that such a deployment could lead to a “serious conflict in Europe and a global conflict.”