Defence Secretary John Healey has vowed to put British soldiers on the ground in Ukraine before the end of 2026.
Nearly four years on from the Russian invasion, he has said he is 'determined' to 'end' the war by December.
Writing in a Sunday newspaper today, Healey declared: 'I want to be the Defence Secretary who deploys British troops to Ukraine - because this will mean that this war is finally over.
'It will mean we will have negotiated peace in Ukraine. And a secure Europe needs a strong, sovereign Ukraine.'
Healey added: 'I am determined that we will make 2026 the year this war ends.'
The Defence Secretary said he is 'proud' Britain stands 'united' with Ukraine and praised Ukrainians for defying Putin's belief that he could win the war in only a week.
'Four years on, Ukrainians continue to fight with that same huge courage they showed on February 24, 2022 – military and civilians alike,' he said.
'And 2026 must be the year this terrible war ends.'
Defence Secretary John Healey speaks with troops in Norway earlier this month
Russian president Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow this week
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph today, Healey added: 'Ukrainians have shown they do not fear Russian aggression.
'The only thing Ukraine fears is Western fatigue. But as president Zelensky knows, Ukraine’s friends will never tire.'
Earlier this year in January, the Defence Secretary declared he would 'take' Putin 'into custody and hold him to account for his war crimes'.
In the aftermath of brutal drone strikes on Kyiv at the beginning of the year, he said it tells you 'all you need to know about president Putin and his determination not just to wage a war on Ukraine, but to target civilians, cities, [as well as] the infrastructure people depend on during the frosty winter'.
Healey added: 'This is a man who must be stopped. This is a war that must be stopped.
'And our mission is to support Ukraine in its fight today and to help work to secure the peace for the moment.'
His comments come after former Conservative prime minister Boris Johnson yesterday said the UK should 'put boots on the ground' in Ukraine to 'flip a switch' in Vladimir Putin's head.
He told Laura Kuenssberg: 'If we can have a plan for boots on the ground after the war, after Putin has condescended to have a ceasefire, then why not do it now?'
Ex-PM Boris Johnson, who was in No 10 when Russia invaded Ukraine nearly four years ago, has called for troops to be deployed in Ukraine
A soldier from the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (The Poachers) on exercise in Estonia at the beginning of February
The Poachers were taking part in Exercise Winter Camp, which is part of Operation Cabrit, the UK's contribution to Nato's Forward Land Forces in Estonia and Poland
'Just to make this point that it is up to the Ukrainians, and these people wouldn't be there in a war-fighting capacity, right?'
Johnson added that 'there is no logical reason' as to why Britain 'shouldn't send peaceful ground forces there to show our support'.
The former PM also claimed the Government's current plan - to form a 'coalition of the willing' with its allies and provide forces to preserve peace and stability in Ukraine - was not enough because it would only happen if a peace deal was struck.
Last year Putin warned any allied troops deployed to Ukraine would be 'legitimate targets'.
But Johnson said this was Ukraine's decision to make - not Russia's.
'That is a political thing. It's about whether Ukraine is a free country or not,' he said.
'If it's a vassal state of Russia, which is what Putin wants, then obviously it's up to Putin to decide who comes to his country. If it's not, then it's up to the Ukrainians.'
Johnson also warned that Putin 'would just keep going' unless the Russian president saw some evidence of the West's 'determination' to end the war.
