Vladimir Putin does not want to reach a deal over the Ukraine war, Sir Keir Starmer has said after five hours of talks with US envoys at the Kremlin ended with no breakthrough.
The Prime Minister said the UK would continue work to “put pressure on in every conceivable way”, including by “doing as much damage to the Russian economy as we can” through sanctions.
Earlier, the Russian leader had accused Kyiv’s European allies of sabotaging the US-led efforts to end the war and rejected changes proposed by Ukraine and Europe to a draft peace plan as unacceptable.
He also said Moscow was “ready” for war with Europe, in comments dismissed as “sabre-rattling” and “claptrap” by the UK Government.
Asking about the remarks during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Tory grandee Sir Bernard Jenkin said: “Could the Prime Minister give his assessment of the latest news that President Putin has again turned down terms for peace in Ukraine?
“And in the light of his extraordinary outburst designed to destabilise our understanding of the truth, he did say Russia is ready for war with Nato. How ready are we?”
Sir Keir thanked Sir Bernard for raising the issue and said “we all know that Putin is the aggressor here”.
“We all know that Putin is dragging his feet, not wanting to come to the table, not wanting to reach an agreement,” he told the Commons.
“We have to continue to put pressure on in every conceivable way.
“That is in supporting Ukraine with capability and resource, but also ensuring that our sanctions, acting with allies, do as much damage to the economy in Russia as we can, and pressure that we can put on, will continue to do so, but he’s absolutely right to raise it.”
Asked afterwards why the Prime Minister had evaded the question of UK readiness, No 10 said Britain’s investment in defence was “clear” and Nato would “respond to any threats with unity and strength”.
“I think what the Prime Minister was quite rightly pointing out was this is yet more rhetoric from President Putin about Europe wanting to go to war,” Sir Keir’s spokesman told reporters.
“It’s as dangerous as it is wrong.
“European nations are united in supporting Ukraine’s right to self-defence under international law and Nato’s ready to respond to any threats with unity and strength.”
Pressed again on whether Britain was prepared, the official said “our armed forces always stand ready to defend this country” and that “this is yet more Kremlin claptrap from a president who isn’t serious about peace”.
The Russian leader held talks for around five hours in Moscow with Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, ending late on Tuesday.
The Kremlin insisted the discussions were “constructive” but had not furthered the push towards peace in Ukraine, and denied rejecting the US peace plan.
The Russian president said Moscow had no plans to attack Europe, but warned that “if Europe suddenly wants to wage a war with us and starts it, we are ready right away. There can be no doubt about that”.
Speaking to broadcasters earlier, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the UK took the threat from Russia “seriously” but characterised the rhetoric as “the same old sabre-rattling we’ve heard from President Putin.”
“The irony of President Putin talking about warmongering on the part of European leaders would be laughable if what he’s doing in Ukraine weren’t so serious,” Mr Streeting told Sky News.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper earlier called on the Russian president to “end the bluster and the bloodshed”.
She said the UK would provide an additional £10 million for Ukraine to repair its energy infrastructure after attacks by the Russian military as she arrived at the Nato foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
She said: “Two presidents are seeking peace – President Trump and President Zelensky.
“But so far, all we have seen from President Putin is an attempt to escalate war, and that is why President Putin should end the bluster and the bloodshed, and be ready to come to the table and to support a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, and for the security of Europe and the security of Nato.”
