General Lord Richards, a former chief of the British defence staff, cautioned that securing peace in Ukraine would demand a robust presence of at least 100,000 to 200,000 troops, a feat that European nations are currently not equipped to accomplish. He criticized the notion of deploying a small contingent of peacekeepers, asserting that any troop deployment would be rigorously tested by Russia’s military strategies, particularly once a peace deal is reached.

The former military leader urged Western nations, specifically those in NATO, to adopt a pragmatic approach by “living within what is physically and militarily possible” rather than striving for politically idealistic goals. He highlighted that to maintain a credible defensive posture, a continuous rotation of such a large force would further compound the manpower requirements, rendering the idea of small-scale peacekeeping ineffective.

In addition to his concerns over troop numbers, Lord Richards was outspoken about the weakened state of Britain’s armed forces. He lamented that, compared to the mid-1990s, the current military capability is eroded, citing reductions in artillery, naval vessels, and key capabilities within the Royal Air Force. He warned that this decline leaves Britain unprepared for conventional warfare, potentially forcing a premature reliance on nuclear deterrents.

Addressing the broader geopolitical context, Lord Richards stressed the importance of maintaining a strong alliance with the United States to ensure credible deterrence against potential aggressors like Russia. Although there have been indications, such as Sir Keir Starmer’s readiness to deploy British troops in Ukraine and recent increases in the UK defence budget, Richards remains skeptical about the ability of Western nations to muster the necessary military strength quickly enough. Defence Secretary John Healey, while defending the increased spending as part of a long-term strategy to rebuild the armed forces, did not commit to specific troop numbers, emphasizing an ongoing review to determine the future structure of the military.