Healey: Decisions made in weeks ahead will define world security for generation
The Defence Secretary said details of a US security guarantee for Ukraine are ‘being developed’ as US and Russian officials meet in Saudi Arabia.
Defence Secretary John Healey said details of a US security guarantee for Ukraine are “being developed” and decisions made in the next few weeks will define “the security of our world for a generation”.
Mr Healey also said the messaging from US defence secretary Pete Hegseth on European countries’ need to increase defence spending was “not new”.
US and Russian officials will meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials have not been invited to the meeting in Riyadh between delegations led by US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country will not accept any deal negotiated without them.
After attending an emergency summit with European leaders on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer called for a US “backstop” to any peace settlement, insisting it was the only way to deter Russia from attacking the country again.
Speaking at the Institute for Government on Tuesday, Mr Healey said decisions made “over the coming weeks will not only define the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine, but the security of our world for a generation to come.”
Mr Healey said: “We need a security guarantee for Ukraine … that is capable of delivering what President Trump has pledged and says he wants, which is a durable peace.
“That requires an end to the Russian attack and no repeat of that in the future, the European countries have to play a leading part in that guarantee but require a backstop from the US.
“Because, in the end, it is only the US that could provide the deterrence to Putin that will prevent him attacking again, and the detail of that is being developed.
“Keir Starmer will discuss that with President Trump when they meet shortly, but the one thing I’m not going to do is discuss details of the work that we’re doing, the discussions we’re having with allies and with the US, because the one thing I don’t want to do is make Putin any wiser.”
He added: “We’re in a new era of threat, and that demands a new era for defence and in the middle of everything else, last week, the new defence secretary, Pete Hegseth from the US and I, made time to discuss the aims we share on defence reform.”
The Defence Secretary further stated that European nations know they “need to step up” on spending and have been “doing just that”.
Mr Healey said: “What Pete Hegseth accelerated was that recognition that we’re stepping up, but we must go further and what was so strong in the middle of the reaction to the strength of his messages – the content of his messages was not new.”
Sir Keir has also indicated he would be willing to commit UK troops to a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine as European leaders gathered for an emergency summit on the future security of the continent.
However, others at the meeting, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, resisted discussion of using a European force to monitor any ceasefire.
Sir Keir’s suggestion of a European peacekeeping force appeared, however, to be rejected by some of those at Monday’s summit.
Mr Scholz described talk of boots on the ground as “premature”, adding: “This is highly inappropriate, to put it bluntly, and – honestly – we don’t even know what the outcome will be.”
The suggestion also prompted calls from the Liberal Democrats for a vote in the Commons, although party leader Sir Ed Davey indicated he would support such a deployment.
Sir Ed said events over the coming days “will impact us for decades”.
He said: “We must act immediately to save Ukraine from a shoddy deal cooked up by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
“It is vital that Parliament has a chance to debate and scrutinise the Government’s plans to support Ukraine.”
There is no legal requirement for a vote on military action, which is formally a royal prerogative but, since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, MPs have usually been given a say on significant deployments.
A Cabinet minister said MPs are likely to get a vote before any deployment of British troops to Ukraine.
Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, told Times Radio on Tuesday morning it would be “normal, if circumstances allow, for Parliament to be consulted” on military action, but added: “I do think we are some way away from this at the moment.”
