Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky warns Putin is planning fresh ground invasion as Moscow’s troops gather on Sumy border

Former UK national security adviser Lord Peter Ricketts has said that a European force in Ukraine is a “considerable risk” without US support.

He told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “To be credible, a deterrent force has to be willing to fight, so are we actually saying that this force might one day have to fight the Russians in Ukraine? I think it’s a genuine question.

“And the way to avoid it, of course, is to have a cast iron American guarantee that if the force got into trouble, the Americans would come in and support. That’s what the backstop means.

“I just don’t think Trump is going to give that kind of commitment, so while I admire the work going into this, and maybe there are ways that European forces can help in Ukraine… I think a formed fighting force is a considerable risk without an American clear guarantee.”

More details about the support the ‘coalition of the willing’ is planning to provide have been revealed.

According to The Times, two minehunter ships which were transferred from the Royal Navy to Ukraine last year are ready to be deployed as part of the potential peacekeeping force.

The paper reported that the ships are taking part in training exercises to prepare for deployment to the Black Sea – which they have been unable to enter due to the war shutting the Bosphorus Strait.

Over 10,000 troops could be deployed as part of the ‘coalition of the willing’ peacekeeping force in Ukraine, reports have suggested.

Sir Keir Starmer reportedly won over a number of countries in his virtual summit on Saturday, which discussed plans for Western troops to be deployed to enforce a ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia.

A senior government source told The Times that Starmer has now received support from “considerably more” than the three countries that initially backed sending troops on the ground.

Around 35 countries have agreed to supply weapons, logistical and intelligence support, as military source told the paper that the force could be “comfortably north of 10,000”.

Italy has no plans to deploy peacekeeping forces on the ground in Ukraine to support a potential ceasefire, prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s office announced on Saturday.

Despite joining Starmer’s ‘coalition of the willing’ meeting on Saturday, where members discussed sending troops in the event of a deal, Italy have ruled out sending their own forces.

“The Prime Minister confirmed that Italy intends to continue working with European and Western partners and with the United States to define credible and effective security guarantees, reiterating that national participation in a possible military force on the ground is not envisaged,” the statement said.

It was not certain whether Meloni would join Saturday’s meeting, as she had been critical of plans to deploy a peacekeeping force in the past.

Donald Trump has narrowed General Keith Kellogg’s role from special envoy for Ukraine and Russia to only Ukraine.

The decision comes after Russian officials had sought to exclude him from talks aiming to end the war.

“General Kellogg, a Highly Respected Military Expert, will deal directly with President Zelensky, and Ukrainian leadership,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“He knows them well, and they have a very good working relationship together.”

Russia launched 90 drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine overnight, Kyiv has said.

Ukraine’s air defence units said it shot down 47 of the 90 drones and that 33 drones were lost “in reference to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them”.

Damage was reported in four regions in the north, centre and south of the country, the air force said without providing details.

It is unclear what was included in that letter, but former senior British officials who focus on Russia have suggested to The Independent that Moscow will try to extract maximal demands from Washington in exchange for a ceasefire.

Canada has contributed an additional CA$50m (£26.8m) to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, Ukraine’s energy ministry announced on Saturday, according to The Kyiv Independent.

This follows Ukraine’s receipt of the first tranche of a $1.7bn loan, secured through frozen Russian assets from Canada, as confirmed by Ukraine’s finance ministry on 13 March.

“As Russia continues its ruthless attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, leaving millions without electricity, water, and heat, Canada is proud… to continue the important work it is doing to help Ukraine repair its critical infrastructure,” said Canadian foreign minister Mélanie Joly in a statement.

“Contributions to the Energy Support Fund are directed toward purchasing equipment necessary for restoring energy facilities after enemy attacks and ensuring the stable operation of Ukraine’s energy system,” said Ukraine’s minister of energy Herman Halushchenko.

Watch as Sir Keir Starmer held a press conference after hosting a meeting with world leaders to discuss peace in Ukraine on Saturday, 15 March.

The prime minister urged countries in his “coalition of the willing” to keep pressure on Moscow after he warned Vladimir Putin not to “play games” over a ceasefire deal.

Around 25 world leaders joined Sir Keir for a virtual call on Saturday, including Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelensky and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte.