The United Kingdom’s top government officials are in disagreement over the potential deployment of British soldiers to Ukraine to support the ongoing conflict with Russia. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps recently stated in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph that discussions were underway with the British army about bringing training closer to Ukraine and potentially into the country. However, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak swiftly moved to clarify the situation, stating that there would be no immediate deployment of British soldiers to fight in the current conflict. Sunak made it clear that Shapps’ comments were not intended for the “here and now” but were a consideration for the long term.
The remarks of Sunak were aimed at dispelling speculation about the imminent involvement of British troops in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. He emphasized that there were no plans to send British soldiers to fight in the current war.
The proposal put forth by Shapps faced criticism from Russian politicians, with former President Dmitry Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, expressing strong opposition. Medvedev accused Shapps of pushing toward a potential “Third World War” and warned that British instructors could become legal targets for Russian armed forces.
Medvedev’s rhetoric has been characterized as hawkish, and he has consistently issued stern warnings and statements since the beginning of the conflict. His remarks often combine Latin mottos, legal expressions, and strong language, seemingly aimed at gaining favor with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Yan Gagin, an advisor to the head of the Russian-occupied part of eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, dismissed Shapps’ proposal but did not issue the same fiery warnings as Medvedev. Gagin suggested that even if British instructors conducted training for Ukraine’s armed forces within the country, it would not yield significant results based on Ukraine’s recent counter-offensive performance.
Since the conflict’s onset more than 19 months ago, over 23,500 Ukrainian recruits have received combat training at UK army bases, covering skills such as weapons handling and battlefield first aid. Britain has committed to training an additional 20,000 recruits this year as part of its support for Ukraine, which includes a pledge of £2.3 billion (USD 2.8 billion) for anti-tank weapons, rocket systems, and other hardware.
Shapps, who assumed the role of defense secretary in August, also mentioned discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about potential assistance from the UK’s Royal Navy in defending commercial vessels in the Black Sea. However, specific details were not provided.
Furthermore, Shapps encouraged UK defense companies to consider establishing production facilities in Ukraine, particularly in the western region of the country. He cited BAE, a leading British defense and aerospace manufacturer, as an example of a company moving into manufacturing in Ukraine and expressed the desire to see other British firms follow suit.
The UK government remains committed to supporting Ukraine but has clarified that there will be no immediate deployment of British soldiers to fight against Russia in the current conflict. Discussions about training and assistance are focused on long-term strategies rather than immediate involvement in the war.
