The United Kingdom is likely to provide two brigades for deployment in Ukraine as part of a multinational force led by it, The Guardian reports, citing military sources.
The publication notes that each brigade consists of several thousand servicemen.
Official information regarding the potential number of troops to be deployed in Ukraine has not yet been disclosed.
According to the report, any contribution from Britain is limited by the small size of its army—71,347 servicemen as of the latest count in October. Britain has also committed to providing a brigade for the defense of Estonia in the event of a crisis, and there may be additional pressure across Europe if the U.S. decides to withdraw part of its 100,000-strong military presence in Europe.
Meanwhile, the UK believes that security guarantees for Ukraine under European leadership can be provided with significantly fewer troops than the 100,000 to 150,000 called for by President Volodymyr Zelensky last week in the event of a peace agreement.
Sources in the defense sector have indicated that the Europe-led security forces for Ukraine do not necessarily have to include a large number of troops stationed on the front lines and could therefore number only several tens of thousands or even fewer.
The Guardian notes that the security package may involve extensive use of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets to monitor any attempts by Russia to breach the line of control established in the ceasefire agreement or final peace settlement.
An alternative scenario discussed was that European troops would not be deployed in Ukraine at all, with security efforts focused on long-term monitoring.
While this would undoubtedly be appealing to Russia, which stated on Tuesday that it would not accept any NATO troops stationed in Ukraine, it would be unacceptable to Kyiv, which fears a renewed assault from Moscow and wants to maintain as strong a post-war security force as possible.
It is noted that last week, Zelensky called for a deployment of deterrent forces in Ukraine numbering between 100,000 and 150,000 personnel, although achieving such numbers would be nearly impossible with only European troops.
Furthermore, on Monday, The Washington Post reported that the number of European forces under discussion could be around 30,000. British sources did not confirm this figure, as negotiations with Europe are still ongoing, but they indicated that such numbers are likely being considered.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to lobby this issue directly with U.S. President Donald Trump when he arrives in Washington next week, raising the stakes for a meeting that could be pivotal in efforts to seek a peaceful resolution to end the war in Ukraine.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/feb/18/security-for-ukraine-could-be-achieved-with-fewer-troops-say-uk-sources