?!War and Peace in Ukraine Is Britain the Key
More than three years have passed since the start of the conflict in Ukraine and we are now witnessing sensitive days in the realm of war and peace efforts especially given the potential prospect of Donald Trumps return to the presidency.
More than three years have passed since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and we are now witnessing sensitive days in the realm of war and peace efforts, especially given the potential prospect of Donald Trump's return to the presidency. Meanwhile, the United States is attempting to regulate its relations with Moscow and act as a mediator for peace between Russia and Ukraine. The reality is that Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, which began in 2022, has become the largest and deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. This conflict has so far left hundreds of thousands dead and wounded, displaced millions, and led to the most severe confrontation between Moscow and the West in recent decades, with hundreds of billions of dollars in losses. Throughout this war, Russia has repeatedly criticized Washington's prominent role in providing military and financial aid to Kyiv, and bilateral relations have reached their worst level since World War II. However, with the potential return of Trump, this situation has shifted, and Washington's overt hostility has somewhat subsided. In contrast, Britain continues to support Ukraine, and some Russian officials believe that England is currently Moscow's main enemy because Britain acts as the primary driving force of the West in creating opposition to Russia. In this regard, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has portrayed Keir Starmer, the leader of the British Labour Party, as a factor in escalating tensions while Trump is trying to de-escalate them. Starmer's recent statements about the possibility of sending British troops and aircraft to Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force have angered senior Russian politicians. Furthermore, Starmer's hosting of the Good Will Coalition meeting and his personal efforts through contact with Trump to garner support for Ukraine are also viewed as provocative actions by Russia.
Britain, which has played an active role since the early days of the Ukraine conflict and continues to staunchly support Kyiv, is now being presented as Russia's new number one enemy. This shift in the two countries' relations has culminated in actions such as the expulsion of two British diplomats on espionage charges and the threat to seize British assets in Russia in response to similar actions against individuals close to Vladimir Putin. In this context, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, in a public statement, has labeled Britain as the "global instigator of war" in the present era and claimed that London, similar to the World Wars of the last century, is trying to thwart Donald Trump's consultations for mediating peace in Ukraine. Despite these stances, Britain continues to provide training and funding to the Ukrainian army and was the first country to pledge to send Western-made battle tanks to Ukraine. It has also provided Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles to target deep inside Russian territory at a time when many Western allies were hesitant.
Beyond the aforementioned points, Europe's efforts towards achieving defense and security autonomy are of significant importance, with Britain playing a pivotal role in this endeavor. In this regard, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are negotiating with 37 countries to form a "vanguard coalition" for Ukraine. The aim of this coalition is to establish a mechanism to guarantee Ukraine's security after reaching a potential peace agreement with Russia. Britain and France, through this initiative, seek to strengthen Ukraine's position in peace negotiations, especially as US President Donald Trump has begun efforts to reach an agreement in the Russia-Ukraine war, and these two European nuclear powers are developing a plan to help ensure Ukraine's security in the post-peace era. It is worth noting that this voluntary coalition includes countries from Europe, the Commonwealth, and Asia that are prepared to provide funding, forces, aircraft, or naval vessels to help protect Ukraine against potential Russian threats. Meanwhile, in a separate meeting in Paris, non-NATO countries such as Australia, Japan, and New Zealand also joined discussions with military leaders from dozens of European countries and Canada, indicating broader efforts to coordinate on security issues related to Ukraine.
In an effort towards peace, Trump stated in his latest remarks: "I had very good and constructive talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and there is a very good chance that this horrible and bloody war will finally end." He added, "At this point, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are completely surrounded by the Russian army and the Russian army. I strongly urged President Putin to ensure their lives are spared, and killing these individuals would be a horrific massacre unseen since World War II." Additionally, the Kremlin announced on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin, through American envoy Steve Wittkoff, has sent Donald Trump his proposals for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Overall, Britain and France are seeking to prevent the US from yielding to Vladimir Putin's demands for the demilitarization of Ukraine and compelling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold elections before reaching a permanent peace agreement. In this context, following the European leaders' meeting in London in mid-March 2025, Starmer announced that Britain is ready to support a vanguard coalition to implement any peace agreement in Ukraine with soldiers on the ground and aircraft in the sky; while European countries must bear this burden, and undoubtedly, US support is essential. The final point is that without the participation and role of the London-Paris-Berlin triangle, establishing lasting peace and stability on the Black Sea's periphery will not be easily achievable. Among European nations, Britain is the most displeased with the Kremlin and President Putin for various reasons, particularly Moscow's attempt to monopolize Europe on important political and economic issues, and possesses a serious will to weaken Russia in the Eurasian axis and the balance of great powers.
Ali Beman Eghbali Zarch, Head of the Eurasia Studies Group.
(The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the IPIS)