Reacting to news that MPs will have a debate and vote before any UK troops are deployed on peacekeeping duties in Ukraine, Dr Ellie Chowns MP said:

“The Green Party supports the principle of UK troops serving in a peacekeeping role in Ukraine following a negotiated ceasefire, with a robust international mandate and safeguards, as a necessary precaution to protect civilians and help maintain a sustainable peace. I’m pleased the Prime Minister has confirmed there will be a parliamentary vote before the deployment of any British troops to Ukraine; that commitment to parliamentary oversight is the minimum democratic standard.

“MPs must be able to robustly scrutinise the details of the government’s proposal in full before any British troops are deployed, including the size, scale, and composition of forces (and what weapons they will be equipped with), clear rules of engagement so our forces can serve both as a credible deterrent and a non-escalatory presence, the precise objectives and measurable indicators for how we will know peace has been secured, and a clear withdrawal plan tied to those outcomes.”