Britain believes there could be a role for international peacekeepers in settling the conflict in the Caucasus.
The foreign secretary, David Miliband, said the European Union should discuss whether troops from outside the region could be part of a package to bring peace.
He raised the possibility as he accused Russia of "blatant aggression" in Georgia, saying "the sight of Russian tanks rolling into parts of a sovereign country on its neighbouring borders will have brought a chill down the spine of many people".
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme before attending a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, he said: "This is simply not the way in which international relations can be run in the 21st century."
Miliband did not rule out EU peacekeepers but suggested the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe should have the main role. "There is merit in looking how we make sure there is a proper international presence there," he said.
