Putin cannot be allowed to ‘play games’ over Ukraine ceasefire: UK PM
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Photo credit: X/@Keir_Starmer.
London: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a virtual meeting on Saturday with leaders from 25 countries to strengthen a “Coalition of the Willing” against Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Speaking from 10 Downing Street, Starmer emphasized that the world cannot allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to undermine peace efforts, particularly in relation to US President Donald Trump's proposed peace deal.
The meeting, which included representatives from Ukraine, the European Union (EU) Commission, NATO, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, aimed to discuss the ongoing peace negotiations and the next steps for supporting peace in the region. The discussions are set to continue during a military planning session next week, where these nations will determine troop deployments to assist in maintaining peace.
Starmer stated that if Putin is serious about peace, he must stop his “barbaric attacks on Ukraine” and agree to a ceasefire. He expressed frustration with Russia’s dismissal of Trump’s 30-day ceasefire proposal, accusing the Kremlin of showing a “complete disregard” for the peace plan. According to Starmer, Russia’s reluctance to engage in serious negotiations only further proves that Putin is not genuinely committed to peace.
He stressed that if Russia eventually comes to the negotiating table, the world must be ready to monitor any ceasefire to ensure it leads to a lasting peace. However, if Russia continues to reject peace efforts, Starmer warned that economic pressure on Russia must be intensified to bring the conflict to an end.
Starmer also criticized Putin for delaying peace efforts by calling for a “painstaking study” before agreeing to a ceasefire. He emphasized that the world needs decisive action, not more empty rhetoric or unnecessary conditions. His message to the Kremlin was clear: end the attacks on Ukraine immediately and agree to a ceasefire.
The UK government believes that increasing economic pressure on Russia is essential to prompt Putin into negotiations. In the long term, the UK is committed to supporting a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, as well as ramping up military support to ensure Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.
Starmer outlined a three-point agenda for world leaders: to continue strengthening Ukraine, to be ready to defend any peace deal through the Coalition of the Willing, and to maintain pressure on Russia. Saturday’s meeting followed a week of “intensive diplomacy” by UK ministers, including Defence Secretary John Healey’s visit to Paris for discussions with counterparts from Germany, France, Poland, and Italy, and the Foreign Secretary’s trip to Canada for G7 Foreign Ministers.
The UK government has indicated that Britain could send peacekeepers to Ukraine if a ceasefire deal is reached, but has called on the United States to provide a security “backstop” for those forces. Ukraine has expressed support for the American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, though Putin has raised concerns, citing unresolved issues and presenting a “list of demands” to the US to end the war.
With PTI inputs