Failing to face by Ukraine would embolden Vladimir Putin, Keir Starmer warned
Failing to stand by Ukraine would embolden Vladimir Putin, Keir Starmer was warned last night.
The PM has said that “we must make sure Ukraine is at the heart” of negotiations for a peace deal with Russia, as Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear he will not accept any agreements which do not include Kyiv in talks.
The Ukrainian president pleaded with the world “not allow everything to go to Putin’s plan” after Donald Trump claimed that he and Vladimir Putin had agreed to start talks on ending the conflict.
Mr Starmer said the UK’s focus was to ensure “Ukraine is in the strongest possible position. This has to be done with Ukraine.”
But he and Downing Street stopped short of criticising President Trump’s shock announcement – in which he all-but ruled out Ukraine becoming a member of Nato.
Meanwhile Tan Desai, the Chair of the Commons Defence Committee warned against failing to stand by Ukraine at this crucial moment.
“It is clear from last night’s statements from the US that Europe will now have to play a greater role in the defence of Ukraine and in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security,” he said.
“We count on the UK Government to show leadership in this. If we don’t support Ukraine, Russia will be emboldened.”
Defence Secretary John Healey, who was speaking as Nato defence ministers met in Brussels, said Russia remains a threat “well beyond Ukraine”.
He said: “We’ve seen the calls from President Trump overnight and we all want to see a durable peace and no return to conflict and aggression – and let’s not forget, Russia remains a threat well beyond Ukraine.
So my message in these discussions will be that there can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine and Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks.”
On Wednesday, Mr Trump shocked the world when he said he had agreed with Russia’s leader to “work together, very closely” on bringing the three-year conflict to an end in a “great” phone conversation that lasted more than an hour.
His administration has suggested that as part of a peace deal Ukraine must accept it will have to give up some territory to Russia and Nato membership is not a realistic prospect.
But Nato’s official position – endorsed by Keir Starmer’s Government in the UK-Ukraine 100-year partnership – is that Kyiv is on an “irreversible” path to joining the alliance.
