Sir Keir Starmer revealed at the weekend that the Tokyo government is the latest ally to join his “coalition of the willing” to support a post-war deal between Kyiv and Moscow.
But Whitehall insiders said Japanese officials are taking part in the planning conversations as the coalition moves into a new operational phase.
The headquarters is the location for the planning and control of overseas military operations.
Following his virtual summit with the coalition of the willing on Saturday – including leaders from Nato countries, Europe, Australia and New Zealand – the Prime Minister said: “There are different capabilities from different countries, but those are the operational discussions that are going on in relation to what this coalition of the willing will be able to provide.”
Japan was forced to demilitarise after the Second World War but over recent years, amid growing fears that China could invade Taiwan, the country has been building up its military, spending billions on missiles and other equipment to prepare for possible conflict in the Indo-Pacific as well as expanding its army.
This includes a new security and defence partnership with the UK. In April the HMS Prince of Wales will arrive in Japan to take part in joint military exercises.
While the US continues to get Russia to come to the negotiating table, further efforts will be made this week to prepare for the deployment of a multinational peacekeeping force.
But there are still questions over whether a peace deal can actually be reached and what the rules of engagement the peacekeepers would need to follow.
“You also have to remember that Finland has 1,340 kilometres of border with Russia. So we take care of the northern flanks but there are so many different ways we can help out. I’m really glad that we are seeing strong leadership coming from the UK.”
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He told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “To be credible, a deterrent force has to be willing to fight, so are we actually saying that this force might one day have to fight the Russians in Ukraine? I think it’s a genuine question.
“I just don’t think Trump is going to give that kind of commitment, so while I admire the work going into this, and maybe there are ways that European forces can help in Ukraine… I think a formed fighting force is a considerable risk without an American clear guarantee.”
Asked what deterrence a peacekeeping force could present to Russia, Streeting told Sky News: “I think it would be an extraordinary escalation for Russian troops to find themselves in conflict with British troops.
“And of course there’s a huge amount of effort that the Prime Minister is heavily involved in to negotiate the peace.
“So there are lots of moving parts at the moment, it’s moving incredibly quickly, and what the Prime Minister has tried to do at every stage is to make sure that we come up with a credible plan involving the Ukrainians that guarantees their peace and security, and Europe’s at large because our own security is intertwined with Ukraine’s.”
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