The British Army has said it is ready to deploy to Ukraine if requested by the government. This week, 2,500 UK troops from the Army's high readiness force, the First Division, have been taking part in a large Nato exercise in Romania - on a training area just 16 miles (25km) from the border with Ukraine.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced he is “ready and willing” to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine to enforce any peace deal.

Years of spending cuts have removed the ability of British forces to prosecute a war against a peer adversary for an extended time.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that any British plan to send troops to Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping mission would be unacceptable for Russia and that it was monitoring statements by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer with concern.