Military leaders discuss Ukraine peacekeeping force as partial ceasefire plans are worked out

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Senior military officers from more than 30 countries across Europe and beyond met in England on Thursday to flesh out plans for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine as details of a partial ceasefire are worked out.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he didn’t know whether there would be a peace deal in the Russia-Ukraine war, but “we are making steps in the right direction" as a “coalition of the willing” led by Britain and France moves into an “operational phase.”

“We hope there will be a deal but what I do know is if there is a deal, the time for planning is now,” he said during a visit to the meeting of military planners at a British base in Northwood, just outside London. “It’s not after a deal is reached.”

“It is vitally important we do that work, because we know one thing for certain which is a deal without anything behind it is something that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will breach," he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” will take place Thursday in Paris in the presence of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle Wednesday to a limited ceasefire after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with the countries’ leaders this week, though it remained to be seen when it might take effect and what possible targets would be off limits to attack.

Zelenskyy, speaking in Norway on Thursday, said that although he originally had sought a broader ceasefire, he was committed to working with the U.S. to stop arms being directed at power production and civilian facilities.

“I raised this issue with President Trump and said that our side would identify what we consider to be civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said. “I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding about what the sides are agreeing on.”

The tentative deal to partially rein in the three-year war came after Putin rebuffed Trump’s push for a full 30-day ceasefire. The difficulty in getting the combatants to stop targeting one another’s energy infrastructure highlights the challenges Trump will face in trying to fulfill his campaign pledge to quickly end the war.

Negotiators from Moscow and the U.S. will meet Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Putin's foreign affairs adviser Sergei Ushakov told Russian news agencies.

Zelenskyy said team would also meet with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia to discuss technical issues, and then the U.S. will act as an intermediary running “shuttle diplomacy” between Kyiv and Moscow.

Despite the negotiations, hundreds of drone attacks were launched overnight by both sides, injuring several people and damaging buildings.

Kropyvnytskyi, a city in central Ukraine, faced its biggest attack of the war as about four dozen drones injured 14 people, including a couple with serious burns, and damaged houses and apartments.

"In a cruel twist, enemy drones hit Myru Street (‘Peace Street’ in English),” Andrii Raikovych, head of the regional administration, said.

More than 50 drones were intercepted in Russia's Saratov region — the largest attack of its kind in the area — shattering windows in a hospital and damaging two kindergartens, a school and about 30 homes, Gov. Roman Busargin said. The attacks were focused on Engels, an industrial city near Russia's main base for nuclear-capable strategic bombers.

In its latest estimate, the U.K. Defense Ministry said Russian troops suffered 900,000 casualties — including up to 250,000 killed — since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine three years ago. That’s a jump of 200,000 from a fall estimate.

Western estimates of the parties’ war losses have varied and couldn’t be independently verified.

War losses have been a tightly guarded secret in Russia. The Defense Ministry’s most recent figures were from 2023 when it reported 6,000 deaths, which was regarded as unreliable.

The U.K. did not release a similar estimate for Ukrainian casualties.

Zelenskyy told NBC News last month that more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed, and more than 350,000 wounded. Those figures couldn’t be independently confirmed and could be an undercount.

If peace comes to Ukraine, the number of troops that would help enforce it is vague. Officials have cited figures of between 10,000 and 30,000 troops as part of what's been termed a “reassurance force."

Only Britain and France have said they are willing to send troops, though countries including Australia, Canada and Finland say they are open to being involved in some way.

At Thursday's meeting, which involved 31 countries, Starmer said planning was broken down into four areas: "the sea in one scenario, the sky, obviously land and borders, and regeneration.”

Russia has said it will not accept any troops from NATO countries being based on Ukrainian soil. And Trump has given no sign the U.S. will guarantee reserve firepower in case of any breaches of a truce. Starmer says the plan won’t work without that U.S. “backstop.”

Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at military think-tank RUSI, said Thursday that the purpose of the Western military force would be to “give Ukraine confidence that a violation of the ceasefire would lead to the Russians having to contend with European forces, and in particular European air power.”

In addition to the meeting in England, EU leaders in Brussels planned to discuss Ukraine’s security needs with Zelenskyy during a meeting about ramping up defense spending after the Trump administration signaled Europe must take care of its own security.

The German parliament’s budget committee is expected to decide Friday to clear up to 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in extra funding for German military aid to Ukraine this year. That comes after parliament voted to loosen Germany’s debt rules for military and security spending.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said European plans for raising military spending conflicted with Putin and Trump's efforts to reach a peace deal.

“Europe has engaged in militarization and has turned into a party of war,” Peskov said.

Residents of Kyiv voiced a mix of optimism, skepticism and confusion about a potential ceasefire.

Olena Morozova, an accountant, said she hoped Putin would agree to the terms of a peace agreement while Volodymyr Zakusylo, a retiree, said he didn’t trust Trump and he thinks Russia will renege on any agreement.

Natalia Volkotrub, a medic, said she didn’t know what to think because Russia had betrayed Ukraine when it failed to provide the protection it offered when Kyiv agreed to surrender its nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

“We gave up our arms and were promised peace and protection,” she said. “But as of today, all promises were broken.”

Lawless reported from London. Bela Szandelszky and Yehor Konovalov in Kyiv, Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, Geir Moulson in Berlin; Lorne Cook in Brussels, and Brian Melley in London contributed to this report.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks as he visits a military base to meet planners mapping out next steps in the Coalition of the Willing in Northwood, London, Thursday, March 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and John Healey, Secretary of State for Defence, center left, look at a Ukraine map as they visit a military base to meet planners mapping out next steps in the Coalition of the Willing in Northwood, London, Thursday, March 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a visit to a military base to meet planners mapping out next steps in the Coalition of the Willing in Northwood, London, Thursday, March 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits a military base to meet planners mapping out next steps in the Coalition of the Willing in Northwood, London, Thursday, March 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

General Nick Perry Chief of Joint Operations, left speaks during a visit of Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a military base to meet planners mapping out next steps in the Coalition of the Willing in Northwood, London, Thursday, March 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and John Healey, Secretary of State for Defence, center left, listen as they visit a military base to meet planners mapping out next steps in the Coalition of the Willing in Greater London, Thursday, March 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to a Canadian Lt Colonel as he visits a military base to meet planners mapping out next steps in the Coalition of the Willing in Northwood, London, Thursday, March 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following a Russian drone attack in Kupyansk, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, residents clear the rubbles following a Russian drone attack in Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad region, Ukraine, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, searchers and rescuers clear the rubbles following a Russian drone attack in Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad region, Ukraine, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, March 20, 2025, a Russian "Grad" self-propelled multiple rocket launcher prepares to fire towards Ukrainian positions in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following a Russian attack in Dobropillya, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, searchers and rescuers clear the rubbles following a Russian drone attack in Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad region, Ukraine, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire at a storehouse following a Russian attack in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, March 20, 2025, a Russian "Grad" self-propelled multiple rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire at a storehouse following a Russian attack in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire at a storehouse following a Russian attack in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, March 20, 2025, a Russian "Grad" self-propelled multiple rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this combination of file photos, President Donald Trump, left, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, are seen at the Elysee Palace, Dec. 7, 2024 in Paris, and President Vladimir Putin, right, addresses a Technology Forum in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, left and center, Pavel Bednyakov, right)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks, during a joint press conference with Finland's President Alexander Stubb, at the Presidential Palace, in Helsinki, Finland, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP)

LONDON (AP) — London Heathrow Airport said it was “fully operational” on Saturday, after an almost daylong closure sparked by an electrical substation fire. But thousands of passengers remained stuck, and airlines warned that severe disruption will last for days as they scramble to relocate planes and crews and get travelers to their destinations.

Friday's travel mayhem raised concerns about Britain's ability to withstand disasters or attacks on critical infrastructure. Inconvenienced passengers, angry airlines and concerned politicians all want answers about how one seemingly accidental fire could shut down Europe’s busiest air hub.

“This is a huge embarrassment for Heathrow airport. It’s a huge embarrassment for the country that a fire in one electricity substation can have such a devastating effect," said Toby Harris, a Labour Party politician who heads the National Preparedness Commission, a group that campaigns to improve resilience.

Heathrow said it had “hundreds of additional colleagues on hand in our terminals and we have added flights to today’s schedule to facilitate an extra 10,000 passengers." It advised passengers to check with their airline before going to the airport.

British Airways, Heathrow’s biggest airline, said it expected to operate about 85% of its 600 scheduled flights at the airport on Saturday. It said that "to recover an operation of our size after such a significant incident is extremely complex.”

While many passengers managed to resume stalled journeys, others remained in limbo.

Laura Fritschie from Kansas City was on vacation with her family in Ireland when she learned that her father had died. On Saturday she was stranded at Heathrow after her BA flight to Chicago was canceled at the last minute.

“I’m very frustrated," she said. “This was my first big vacation with my kids since my husband died, and ... now this. So I just want to go home.”

More than 1,300 flights were canceled and some 200,000 people stranded Friday after an overnight fire at a substation 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) away from the airport cut power to Heathrow, and to more than 60,000 properties.

Residents in west London described hearing a large explosion and then seeing a fireball and clouds of smoke when the blaze ripped through the substation. The fire was brought under control after seven hours, but the airport was shut for almost 18. A handful of flights took off and landed late Friday.

Police said they do not consider the fire suspicious, and the London Fire Brigade said its investigation would focus on the electrical distribution equipment at the substation.

Still, the huge impact of the fire left authorities facing questions about Britain’s creaking infrastructure. The government acknowledged that authorities had questions to answer and said a rigorous investigation was needed to make sure “this scale of disruption does not happen again.”

Harris, from the preparedness commission, said the airport shutdown points to a broader problem with Britain’s economy and infrastructure.

“The last 40, 50 years we’ve tried to make services more efficient,” he said. “We’ve stripped out redundancy, we’ve simplified processes. We’ve moved towards a sort of ‘just in time’ economy.

“There is an element where you have to make sure you’re available for ‘just in case.’ You have to plan for things going wrong.”

Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said he was “proud” of the way airport and airline staff had responded.

"Remember, the situation was not created at Heathrow Airport," he told the BBC. “The airport didn’t shut for days. We shut for hours."

He said Heathrow's backup power supply, designed for emergencies, worked as expected, but it wasn’t enough to run the whole airport, which uses as much energy as a small city.

“That’s how most airports operate," said Woldbye, who insisted “the same would happen in other airports" faced with a similar blaze.

Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest airports for international travel, and saw 83.9 million passengers last year.

Friday’s disruption was one of the most serious since the 2010 eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which shut Europe’s airspace for days.

Passengers on about 120 flights were in the air when Friday's closure was announced and found themselves landing in different cities, and even different countries.

Mark Doherty and his wife were halfway across the Atlantic when the inflight map showed their flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport to Heathrow was turning around.

“I was like, you’re joking,” Doherty said before the pilot told passengers they were heading back to New York.

Doherty called the situation “typical England — got no back-up plan for something happens like this. There’s no contingency plan.”

Associated Press journalist Kwiyeon Ha at Heathrow Airport contributed to this report.

A British Airways plane approaches landing as Heathrow Airport slowly resumes flights after a fire cut power to Europe's busiest airport in London, Saturday, March 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Travellers wait outside the Terminal as Heathrow Airport slowly resumes flights after a fire cut power to Europe's busiest airport in London, Saturday, March 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Travellers check the information board in London, Saturday, March 22, 2025, as Heathrow Airport slowly resumes flights after a fire cut power to Europe's busiest airport.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The airport arrivals board at Terminal 5 as Britain's Heathrow Airport has closed for the full day Friday after an electrical substation fire knocked out its power, disrupting flights for hundreds of thousands of passengers at one of Europe's biggest travel hubs in London, Friday, March 21, 2025.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A British Airways plane is parked at Terminal 5 as Britain's Heathrow Airport has closed for the full day Friday after an electrical substation fire knocked out its power, disrupting flights for hundreds of thousands of passengers at one of Europe's biggest travel hubs in London, Friday, March 21, 2025.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Workers are seen as smoke rises from the North Hyde electrical substation, which caught fire last night, leading to the closure of the Heathrow Airport, in London, Friday March 21, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

A handwritten sign at a Heathrow Airport tube station in London indicates the airport is closed on Friday March 21, 2025, following a fire at the North Hyde electrical substation the previous night.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

A plane is prepared whilst another airplane approaches landing at Heathrow Airport after a fire at an electrical substation shuttered Europe's busiest air travel hub in London, Friday, March 21, 2025.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

A traveller arrives at Terminal 5 as Heathrow Airport slowly resumes flights after a fire cut power to Europe's busiest airport in London, Saturday, March 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Travellers wait at Terminal 5 as Heathrow Airport slowly resumes flights after a fire cut power to Europe's busiest airport in London, Saturday, March 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Travellers arrive at Terminal 5 as Heathrow Airport slowly resumes flights after a fire cut power to Europe's busiest airport in London, Saturday, March 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Travellers arrive at Terminal 5 as Heathrow Airport slowly resumes flights after a fire cut power to Europe's busiest airport in London, Saturday, March 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Travellers arrives at Terminal 5 as Heathrow Airport slowly resumes flights after a fire cut power to Europe's busiest airport in London, Saturday, March 22, 2025.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)