The United Kingdom and its allies stand ready to support Ukraine both ahead of and after any negotiated peace deal, UK Defence Secretary John Healey said during a visit to Kyiv on the eve of a high-level summit in Paris.
Speaking to the BBC in Kyiv, Healey said allied partners would "help make the skies safe, to make the seas safe, and to secure the land" once a peace agreement had been struck. The comments came as about 30 leaders — attending either in person or online — prepared to meet in Paris to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.
French diplomats said "technical work" on possible guarantees to underpin a ceasefire is complete, and French President Emmanuel Macron said the crucial question was "the sincerity of Russia" in any move toward negotiations. Diplomats involved in preparatory discussions have flagged an American "safety net" as one of the key elements envisioned to reassure Ukraine should a temporary ceasefire or broader agreement be reached.
The summit comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed a defiant message reportedly supported by China, asserting that his full-scale invasion could continue. Healey said there was a degree of bluster in such statements and argued that Russia remained under international pressure.
Officials have not published a single, agreed text of proposed guarantees, and talks among allies have focused on technical and political measures that could deter renewed aggression and provide Ukraine with time to consolidate security. The Paris meeting aims to translate preparatory work into clearer commitments and to outline practical measures allies would take before, during and after any diplomatic settlement.
Healey's visit to Kyiv and his public remarks underline the British government’s effort to reassure Ukrainian leaders of continued support even as discussions about the terms of a ceasefire and the structure of long-term guarantees proceed. Organisers of the Paris summit say the goal is to move from technical options to decisions on concrete support packages that would be ready if diplomatic progress is made.
Diplomats and leaders have urged caution about timelines, noting that any peace process will depend on negotiations among the parties to the conflict as well as the willingness of external powers to back and enforce guarantees. The Paris meeting will test whether allied governments can turn technical planning into political commitments that Ukraine and its partners consider credible enough to underpin a cessation of hostilities.