Stuart Anderson MP has expressed serious concerns about the UK's ability to deploy troops and sustain a genuine military presence in Ukraine.
Stuart's intervention comes as discussions continue about potential UK involvement in a multinational force to support Ukraine, particularly in the event of a peace deal.
On 7th January 2026, the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer signed a Declaration of Intent on deploying forces to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.
The agreement would see UK and France troops deployed to Ukraine and take part in "deterrence operations" in the air, land, and at sea.
On 8th January 2026, Stuart warned that the UK's current spending levels will not allow for a long-term deployment and he wants to see the size of the Armed Forces grow.
On 9th January 2026, the government subsequently announced £200 million to support equipment upgrades, training, and logistics ahead of a possible deployment.
In Parliament, Stuart has now urged the government to set out a clear and coherent strategy that includes the envisaged timeline, funding commitment, and withdrawal plan.
As a young soldier, Stuart served on various NATO deployments including Bosnia, which is twelve times smaller than Ukraine.
The mission began in the 1990's began with approximately 2,400 troops and increased to 11,500 during a time when the British Armed Forces numbered around 255,000.
Stuart added that a deployment to Kosovo, which is 55 times smaller than Ukraine, started in 1999 with a higher number of 19,000 troops, including some who were on standby.
At the time, the British Armed Forces comprised approximately 208,650 personnel. Today, the size of the British Armed Forces has fallen to roughly 136,120.
A commitment to deploy 7,500 troops to Ukraine would result in 15,000 troops being deployed every six months, excluding naval and air force support.
In Parliament, Stuart explained:
"You have 7,500 deployed and 7,500 on pre-deployment training. Over a twelve month period, that would equate to 30,000 thousand troops tied up, prepared, or coming back from Ukraine - almost half of our Army. That doesn't necessarily include naval and air assets that would need to be in the region that will take up a significant commitment as well."
A conventional stabilisation model would involve deploying 20 to 25 troops per 1,000 residents. Given that Ukraine's population is 39 million, Stuart has said that this would necessitate approximately 600,000 troops.
While the figure could be closer to 200,000 troops alongside current Ukrainian Forces, Stuart has stated that the UK's contribution to a 'Coalition of the Willing' Plan still falls short of what military strategists suggest.
Stuart questioned why the government is seeking to operate outside the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), which was used in NATO's missions in both Kosovo and Bosnia.
Stuart said he is very concerned that troops deployed by a framework developed the Coalition of the Willing will not work as coherently as the JEF does with NATO.
Additionally, Stuart raised questions about the current funding gap, as military chiefs warn of a projected expenditure that exceeds its allocated budget unless adjustments are made.
It comes as Britain's most senior military chief warns that the Ministry of Defence is preparing to make huge cuts to our Armed Forces as a result of being short of £28 billion over the next four years.
Britain has fallen down official NATO defence spending rankings and is now the 12th biggest defence spender as a share of gross domestic product (GDP). This is down from third in 2021.
In 2022, Stuart called for a stronger UK response to counter Russia's aggression. As part of that debate in Parliament, Stuart emphasised the need for increased defence spending.
As the UK's representative on the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council (UNIC), Stuart has also been vocal about increasing UK defence spending.
In June 2025, Stuart led calls for spending on defence to rise to 3.5% of GDP, with an additional 1.5% of GDP spent on “defence-related spending”.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"As a soldier who spent several years on military tours and working in conflict zones like Kosovo and Bosnia, I understand the gravity of deploying British troops abroad. I am concerned that significant gaps in current funding impacts our ability to undertake future deployments. Without substantial government intervention, I am seriously worried that we won't have the operational capability to sustain a genuine military presence in Ukraine, as the Prime Minister has already agreed. That is why I have taken this opportunity in Parliament to urge the government to set out a clear and coherent strategy that includes the envisaged timeline, funding commitment, and eventual withdrawal plan."
