The world is on edge as President Trump and Vladimir Putin sit down in Alaska for a summit that could reshape the future of Ukraine — or push us closer to global conflict. Hours before the meeting even began, British Defence Minister John Healey made a bombshell announcement: if a ceasefire is reached, the UK will send troops into Ukraine immediately, ready to act “from day one.”

Healey brushed off the obvious risk — what happens if British soldiers are fired upon by Russian forces? His answer: British troops have the right to defend themselves. That one line carries implications far beyond “peacekeeping.” It sets the stage for a clash between nuclear powers.

The UK and France have already created a joint military headquarters for what they’re calling the “Coalition of the Willing.” Their mission? Rebuild Ukraine’s shattered land forces, police its skies with coalition jets, and patrol the Black Sea. In other words, this isn’t just peacekeeping — it’s a military footprint deep inside a warzone.

The gamble here is enormous. Healey argues that putting British boots on the ground will deter Russia from reinvading. But history suggests the opposite: foreign deployments often escalate conflict rather than contain it. Even Germany, Ukraine’s supposed ally, has balked at the plan. Berlin is nervous, questioning whether sending in Western soldiers risks turning a regional war into a continental catastrophe.

The United States hasn’t exactly signed on with enthusiasm either. President Trump has made clear that if Washington provides any security guarantees to this European force, it won’t be through NATO. “Maybe” he’ll back them, Trump said en route to Alaska, but he isn’t willing to put America on the hook for another endless European war.

Trump also issued a warning to Putin in mid-flight, making clear that if the Russian leader is just stalling for time, the consequences would be “economically severe.” He stressed that his goal is saving lives, not posturing, but his tone left no doubt: he isn’t about to be played.

And that’s the danger of Healey’s move. If British troops roll into Ukraine under the banner of “peace,” they will find themselves one wrong move away from direct combat with Russian forces. One shot fired, one clash on a Black Sea patrol, and the fragile hope of peace could vanish in an instant.

The stakes could not be higher. Either this summit lays the foundation for real negotiations — perhaps bringing in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a future trilateral meeting — or it becomes the spark that sets the world ablaze.

By putting “boots on the ground” into a deal that hasn’t even been signed yet, the UK may have just lit the fuse. The question is whether Trump and Putin can defuse it before it’s too late.