UK, European peacekeepers in Ukraine allowed to fire back
The gist
Western officials said British and European peacekeepers in Ukraine could return fire if attacked by Russian forces.
The force is only hypothetical, and Moscow calls foreign troops a direct threat.
How it unfolded
- Jan 8, 2026Russia's foreign ministry rejected the deployment of British and European soldiers as peacekeepers, calling foreign troops in Ukraine a "direct threat."
- Nov 3, 2026Western officials said British soldiers and European allies would be allowed to return fire if attacked by Russian forces if deployed as peacekeepers after a ceasefire.
- Nov 3, 2026Britain and France unveiled the "Coalition" military exercise in Poland later in the month, involving 11 countries and 2,800 land, sea and air personnel, with France deploying 1,500 soldiers and the UK 300.