UK Defence Chief Says Army Not Ready for Full-Scale War as Ukraine Deployment Hinges on Safety

Overview

• Richard Naiton told a parliamentary committee the forces are insufficiently prepared after three decades of post–Cold War reductions.
• He said he is directly involved in planning for a “coalition of the willing” and that extra funding would lower risk, while acknowledging there is no zero-risk environment.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer said coalition leaders in Paris signed a declaration to place troops in Ukraine if a peace deal is reached, with UK and French bases and equipment depots planned after a ceasefire.
• The British Army numbers just over 70,000 soldiers, and the government aims to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.
• Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned that any deployment of NATO member troops to Ukraine is unacceptable to Moscow and could lead to sharp escalation.