Newscast UK Troops in Ukraine… But Only Under a Peace Deal
Jan 6, 2026
Shashank Joshi, Defence editor at The Economist, and Dr. Gabriella Gricius, a senior fellow at the Arctic Institute, dive into the complexities of the peace agreement regarding Ukraine and its implications for UK and French troop presence. They discuss the strategic importance of Greenland, linking it to US military interests and historical territorial ambitions. With rising concerns over climate impacts, they also highlight Greenland's critical minerals and the geopolitical tensions surrounding Arctic security.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Europe-US Security Pact Hinges On Peace Deal
- The Coalition of the Willing aims to provide US-led ceasefire monitoring and verification for Ukraine if a peace deal is reached.
- The UK and France plan long-term military hubs with troops on the ground to help maintain any sustainable peace.
Committed Troops Are Conditional And Long-Term
- Deployments by the UK and France to Ukraine would be conditional and potentially long-term, requiring future governments' commitment.
- Officials stress many details remain undecided, including troop numbers and duration, and everything depends on reaching a political settlement.
A Modern Budapest Memorandum In The Making
- The Paris document is being compared to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum as a potential long-term security framework if a deal is reached.
- Observers warn this would be a generational commitment requiring sustained diplomatic, military and financial backing.
