LONDON, July 24. /TASS/. The United Kingdom has assumed the lead role from France of planning a potential peacekeeping mission in Ukraine if and when the conflict ends, the UK Defense Ministry said.

The handover ceremony took place at the Force’s Operation Headquarters in Paris.

Command passed from a French commander to British Lieutenant General Tom Bateman. Bateman has served in the British Armed Forces for more than 30 years. He previously commanded the Standing Joint Force Headquarters, established to provide a rapid response to crises and conflicts worldwide, and also led the 1st Division of the British Army.

According to the Defense Ministry, "in the event of peace, the Multinational Force - Ukraine will help reassure Ukraine by enabling safer Ukrainian skies and seas and regenerating Ukrainian Land forces. As part of this, a headquarters would also be established in Kiev."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously said that Moscow does not take seriously Western proposals to create a multinational force to protect Ukraine. He described such plans as fantasies put forward by those seeking to "draw attention to themselves on the international stage."