LONDON, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that he is "ready and willing" to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine if necessary.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Starmer said Britain was "ready to play a leading role" in Ukraine's defense and security, including the commitment of 3 billion pounds (about 3.8 billion U.S. dollars) a year until 2030.

Along with military aid to the country, "it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary," said Starmer.

"I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm's way," he said.

It was the first time Starmer had explicitly said he was considering deploying British peacekeepers to Ukraine. He has previously said that Britain was willing to help play a part in any peace deal that is negotiated.

"We are facing a once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of our continent. This is not only a question about the future of Ukraine. It is existential for Europe as a whole," he wrote.

Starmer is expected to join French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other European leaders in Paris on Monday for an emergency summit on Ukraine.

As U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that negotiations to end the nearly three-year Ukraine war will start "immediately" after holding a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Europe fears that it may be sidelined in potential negotiations on the Ukraine crisis.

The concerns were amplified by blunt remarks from Trump's Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, who declared Saturday that there will be no seat for Europe at the table in Ukraine peace talks.

Starmer is expected to visit Trump in Washington before the end of this month, according to British media. Enditem

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