Putin is out of the game in Ukraine – British troops will be deployed in Ukraine soon

British Defense Secretary John Healey arrived in Ukraine to discuss support for Ukraine and plans for 2025 with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. He considers the occupiers' plans to seize four regions of Ukraine (Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk) in 2025 a sign of "weakness." After all, in the past, according to him, Russia has already announced the "seizure" of these regions.

"Russians believed that their invasion would last a week. And here you are: a country that is still fighting for over a thousand days, and Putin has taken a strategic step back in Syria. This is a signal to any country that looks to Russia as some kind of guarantor, as a strategic ally and as a security ally - when the stakes are highest, Putin just walks out," the UK defence chief told NV .

He also said Britain was continuing to step up its supply of naval drones, air defense systems and artillery to Ukraine. In 2025, for example, London wants to step up its support — through defense industry cooperation, coordination of international allies and training, he said. Ukraine's allies must not only strengthen the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Healey said, but also increase pressure on Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin to put him in a "weaker position." And it is up to Ukraine to decide when to stop fighting and negotiate with Russia, he said.

"And we are also prepared to step up the sanctions and the pressure that we are prepared to put on Putin and the people responsible for circumventing the sanctions, on the fleets of ships that help to avoid international condemnation and the embargo on oil and gas," the British Defence Secretary stressed.

British Defence Secretary has "opened the door" to sending British troops to Ukraine to help train Ukrainian soldiers. He noted that Britain needs to "make education better suited to what Ukrainians need": "We need to make it easier for Ukrainians to access and work with Ukrainians to help them motivate and mobilize more recruits."

Asked if this meant the start of exercises involving British troops in Ukraine, he said: "We will look where we can to respond to what the Ukrainians want. They are fighting."

Last year, Grant Shapps, the former defence secretary, voiced his support for such a move in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph. Healey is believed to be the first government official to put forward the same proposal.

He made the comments as he announced a new £225m aid package for Ukraine as the country comes under increasing pressure to enter peace talks with Russia.

Healy said Kyiv should enter the talks "from a position of strength, not weakness."

He added that Ukraine needs to continue to build its ability to fight and contain Putin.

Announcing the support package, he said: "Nearly three years since Putin launched his illegal, full-scale invasion, the depth of his miscalculation is clearer than ever as the brave people of Ukraine continue to defy all expectations with their indomitable spirit. But they cannot act alone, which is why the UK will step up our international leadership on Ukraine throughout 2025."