Boris Johnson: West Should Send Troops To Ukraine Immediately

• 21.02.2026, 21:33

The former British prime minister is confident that it is not necessary to wait until the war is over to send a Western contingent.

If Britain and its allies plan to deploy their troops to Ukraine after the war to deter new Russian aggression, it is more rational to send them now.

This was stated by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in an interview with BBC (translated by Unian).

In a conversation with reporters, Johnson criticized the West for its reluctance to punish Russia for annexing Crimea and the hesitation of Western leaders in supporting Ukraine already during the full-scale phase of the war.

In Johnson's view, the caution with which the West has stepped up arms supplies to Ukraine has been paid in human lives.

In this context, the former head of the British government urged not to wait for a peace agreement to send a deterrent contingent to Ukraine. He suggests sending troops now to speed up such an agreement.

- If we plan to put troops on the ground after the war, after Putin agrees to a ceasefire, why not do it now? So that these people are not involved in the fighting. I don't see any logical reason why we shouldn't send in peaceful ground forces to show our support, our constitutional support for a free, independent Ukraine," Johnson said.