During Monday's episode of Good Morning Britain (February 17), host Charlotte Hawkins abruptly interrupted the show to deliver some "breaking" news. The TV presenter disclosed a significant update that Ukrainian officials had landed in Saudi Arabia, poised for pivotal discussions with the US and Russia, centring on bringing an end to Moscow's Ukraine invasion. "Breaking news this morning. Ukrainian delegates have reportedly arrived in Saudi Arabia as America and Russia begin talks over a possible ceasefire," Charlotte announced.
Keen to reiterate the UK's commitment, Sir Keir Starmer expressed he is ready to dispatch British forces to Ukraine to solidify any peace agreements, further upping the ante in international diplomatic efforts. Subsequently, co-host Richard Madeley delved deeper into the unfolding narrative, highlighting: "The breaking news today, if you're just joining us, is that the Prime Minister's pledged overnight, in an article in the Daily Telegraph, to put UK troops' boots on the ground in Ukraine to help maintain any peace settlement they've negotiated," reports the Manchester Evening News.
But the story didn't pause there, as within the past hour, another major player entered the scene, with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, landing in Saudi Arabia, gearing up for talks with Russia about the cessation of hostilities with Ukraine. With previous signs suggesting Ukraine's exclusion from the negotiations, the latest development saw Ukrainian authorities officially making their way to Riyadh, the Saudi capital - notably changing the direction of events.
Amidst the unravelling international dialogue, Charlotte and Richard hosted a discussion with Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, addressing Downing Street's intention to send British peacekeepers on a potential mission to Ukraine. Keir Starmer has described the crisis as a "once in a generation moment" and an "existential" challenge for Europe. Penning his thoughts in the Daily Telegraph, Starmer declared that Britain stands "ready to play a leading role" in supporting Ukraine's battle for defence and security, with a vow to allocate £3 billion annually up to 2030.
He also discussed the prospect of a boots-on-the-ground approach: "It also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary.". Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Keir elaborated, "I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm's way. But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine's security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country.".
