PM says suggestion UK troops could train Ukrainians in Ukraine not for 'here and now'

Rishi Sunak says any suggestion UK troops could train forces in Ukraine is not for the "here and now" amid the country's conflict with Russia.

The Prime Minister sought to clarify comments the Defence Secretary Grant Shapps made to the Sunday Telegraph, that he would eventually like to get British training of Ukrainians in the country itself.

Speaking on a visit to Burnley ahead of the Tory party conference in Manchester, Mr Sunak said he wants to be "absolutely clear" about the situation following "some misreporting".

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He said that Britain has been training Ukrainian citizens and soldiers "for a long time" within the UK.

"And what the Defence Secretary was saying was that it might well be possible one day in the future for us to do some of that training in Ukraine," the Prime Minister said.

"But that’s something for the long term, not the here and now, there are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict. That's not what’s happening.

"What we are doing is training Ukrainians. We're doing that here in the UK."

The Defence Secretary paid a visit to the British Army on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire on Friday, where he and Chief of the General Staff General Sir Patrick Sanders spoke to the UK soldiers at the heart of the UK-led training programme which has, so far, trained more than 23,000 Ukrainians.

Mr Shapps observed the training and heard their inspirational stories, before being briefed on Army priorities, including modernisation.

The Defence Secretary told the Sunday Telegraph he has spoken with Army chiefs about moving "more training" into Ukraine and called on British defence firms to set up production in the country.

The Defence Secretary met with president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv last week, describing the UK-led training as "remarkable" when he discussed the programme with the Ukrainian leader while in the country's capital.

He also hinted to Mr Zelensky that Britain could play a more active role in the Black Sea, where Russia has targeted cargo ships.

Mr Shapps said Russian President Vladimir Putin has "lost control of the war" and that he was confident of replenishing UK stockpiles as British support for Ukraine continues.

"There is just no point in us sitting on kit whilst a country – no further to fly to than say going to a Greek island on holiday, in terms of the distance by plane – is overrun.

"We know what happens if you don't stop a tyrant. This was definitely the moment for us to step up and 'yes, we will make sure we replenish our own supplies'."