The Ministry of Defense is considering the possibility of sending British troops to Ukraine to help train its armed forces.
Defense Secretary John Haley is in the capital Kiev to discuss plans to provide more aid to Ukraine in the coming year.
He declined to give details of those plans, but defense sources say he has not ruled out sending British troops to Ukraine to help with training.
Britain is currently training Ukrainian soldiers in the UK. A small team of British Army medics is also providing training inside Ukraine.
Haley arrived in Kiev with the promise of more drones, artillery shells and an additional £225m in military aid for air defences.
But he said he was also discussing how to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for the coming year. That includes more weapons, more training and more sanctions on Russia, he said.
Defense sources say one option under consideration is to send British troops to Ukraine to train its own forces. Speaking to the BBC, Haley declined to divulge details.
“The details of our joint Ukrainian project will remain, let’s say, unavailable. [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin,” he said.
The newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, has promised that he will try to end the war. Some Western countries are debating how they might provide security guarantees for Ukraine if that happens.
Haley said he would wait to see Trump’s plans, but the defense secretary said his primary duty was to do everything possible for Ukraine while it continued its fight.
His comments came ahead of a meeting in Brussels on Thursday, which will be attended by Foreign Secretary David Lemmy and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as representatives of EU countries and NATO.
Lemmy, echoing the defense secretary, said the discussion would focus on “what further assistance is needed to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position in and through 2025”.
“It is vital that allies across Europe step up the support they are giving to Ukraine, the training that is still needed for their armed forces, the funding that we need in the long term, and the modern Ways have to be found. Find that finance,” he added.
Britain and other NATO members have not sent troops to Ukraine or imposed a no-fly zone over the country, fearing a direct conflict with Russia. However, individual members have provided weapons and equipment.
When Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Trump on the phone on Wednesday, the situation in Ukraine was also discussed.
“The Prime Minister reiterated the need for allies to stand with Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and to ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position,” a Downing Street spokesman said.