Sir Keir Starmer has said talks on a potential ceasefire in Ukraine were “moving in a positive direction” as he spoke to leaders of the war-torn nation’s allies.
The Prime Minister led a call with leaders of the so-called coalition of the willing on Tuesday after talks between Ukraine and the US in Geneva over the weekend appeared to bear fruit for a path to peace.
Addressing a virtual meeting of the coalition from the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street, Sir Keir said of the latest talks: “Progress was made and I welcome some of the developments that have now come forward.
“It was a chance to ensure that the draft plan fully reflects Ukraine’s interests and lays the ground for a lasting peace.”
He added that Ukraine had “proposed some constructive changes”, supported by European national security advisers.
The Prime Minister said: “I do think we are moving in a positive direction and indications today that in large part the majority of the text, Volodymyr (Zelensky) is indicating, can be accepted.”
Tuesday’s call follows talks between US and Ukrainian representatives in Geneva over the weekend about a peace plan set out by Donald Trump’s administration following discussions with Russia.
Earlier, Sir Keir had told MPs that parts of the plan, which contained significant concessions to Moscow, were “not acceptable”, although he welcomed the inclusion of security guarantees for Kyiv.
Downing Street also sought to play down reports that Ukraine had accepted the US-backed plan, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesman saying there were “still several points to work through”.
Sir Keir also urged leaders of the coalition of the willing to “firm up” their commitments to a potential peacekeeping operation in Ukraine.
The “multinational force Ukraine” – the coalition’s joint peacekeeping initiative – will play “a vital part” in guaranteeing the country’s security in future, Sir Keir added.
He went on: “And we will also pick up next steps with the US military on their own planning.
“And we must come back to this with a strong political guarantee to show Russia we’re serious about responding to any violation.”
Adding that the UK would deliver more air defence missiles to Ukraine in the coming weeks, Sir Keir also called for a “full embargo of Russian energy” to keep up the pressure on Moscow, saying recent measures had already had an impact.
Also listening to the call from Downing Street were Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Defence Secretary John Healey and Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton.
Speaking from Paris, Emmanuel Macron meanwhile told the call that efforts to draw the conflict to an end are now at a “crucial juncture”.
The French president added: “Negotiations are getting a new impetus, and we should seize this momentum not because there is reason for alarm – Ukraine is solid, Russia is slow, and Europe is steadfast – but because there is finally a chance to make real progress toward a good peace.”
Ukraine needs “a set of very robust security guarantees, and not paper guarantees” he also said, as previous promises were “shattered by successive Russian aggressions”.
The call, which also heard from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, was attended by US secretary of state Marco Rubio, in a rare example of American involvement in the coalition’s discussions.
Addressing the Commons on Tuesday, Sir Keir vowed that Britain would “never falter” in its support for Ukraine, but warned of a “tough road ahead” for Kyiv.
And he condemned Russia’s “barbaric” attacks on Ukraine, which continued overnight with strikes causing at least six deaths and knocking out water and electricity in parts of Kyiv.
The Prime Minister said: “It’s abhorrent. It’s beyond belief. Yet Ukraine lives this same story every night in their cities and every day on the front line, where so many Ukrainians are killed fighting for their freedom.”
Meanwhile US army secretary Dan Driscoll met Russian officials for several hours in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to discuss the latest developments after the talks with Ukraine in Geneva.
Mr Zelensky is expected to travel to Washington before the end of November “to complete final steps and make a deal with President Trump”, senior Ukrainian official Rustem Umerov said.
In the Commons, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said a “blanket surrender of Ukrainian territory would mean rewarding (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s unprovoked aggression” as she urged the Government to “work extremely closely with the US and to understand their objectives”.
She added: “Parties like the Lib Dems and the Greens who are encouraging us to decouple from the US are putting their anti-American prejudice above national security.”
For the Liberal Democrats, foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller said he hoped that “European backing has stopped President Zelensky from being bullied by Donald Trump and the Kremlin”.
He said: “If Vladimir Putin ends up being rewarded for his aggression in Ukraine, it will only encourage him – and other authoritarians – to go further. The deal must not give Russia any say over the freedom of sovereign states to defend themselves. We cannot let that happen.”
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