Starmer Offers Ukraine a Defense Check It Can't Cash
The British prime minister seeks to be a “bridge” between Europe and the US, but a tight fiscal picture means he may not have the clout or the money.
Emmanuel Macron welcomes Keir Starmer.
Photographer: DANIEL DORKO/AFPThe blue and yellow flag of Ukraine billowed above Britain’s government buildings Monday, as it has every day since Russia’s invasion began nearly three years ago. Inside, officials were making calculations that will test the extent to which that gesture of solidarity could prove a hollow one.
On Sunday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to put British boots on the ground as part of a theoretical future peacekeeping force protecting a ceasefire in Ukraine. But given the stretched state of his military, that’s a commitment he lacks the financial firepower to deliver.