Sir Keir Starmer has issued a warning to Vladimir Putin that there would be ‘severe consequences’ if Russia broke any peace deal with Ukraine.
The PM made the punishing remarks during a meeting with officials from 31 countries at the Northwood military base as a part of efforts to galvanise his ‘coalition of the willing’ into a viable plan for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
At the high-level talks the nations have started to explore which western forces might be deployed to protect Ukraine following a peace deal.
Sir Keir stressed that any agreement must have the support of the US and that Putin mustn’t be allowed to veto how Ukraine decides to defend itself.
‘The point of the security arrangements is to make it clear to Russia there’ll be severe consequences if they are to breach any deal,’ the PM said.
He added: ‘That’s why we need a forward leaning European element, which is what I’ve been working on intensely, obviously, with the French, that bring these allied countries together, and beyond.
‘I think the Australians and New Zealanders have dialled in this morning in the middle of night in order to be part of the planning. So there is that level of integration.
‘This is why it will require a US component, because it needs to be clear to Putin that there will be severe consequences if he breaches the lines.’
The Guardian reported that when asked whether Britain would put boots on the ground in Ukraine, as he previously suggested, Sir Keir said that the military planners were discussing offering support by air, sea and land.
He said: ‘There is a strong sense that, because of what’s happened in the last three years, the Ukrainian forces are amongst the strongest now in Europe. They’ve got the capability, they’ve got the numbers, and they’ve actually got the frontline experience.
‘We’re not talking about something that replaces the capability, we’re talking about something that reinforces that and then puts around it capabilities in relation to air, water and sea, and land.’
Countries at today’s meeting included France, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Canada and Australia.
The remarks come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believes a ‘lasting peace can be achieved this year’ after a call with US President Donald Trump.
In the call with Zelensky, the US president ‘said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,’ according to a White House statement.
‘American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure,’ it added.
In a post on X on Wednesday afternoon, Zelensky said he had a ‘positive, very substantive and frank’ conversation with Trump.
He added that Ukraine was ‘ready to implement’ the ending of strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure.
Zelensky thanked Trump for the talks in Saudi Arabia last week, and added: ‘We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace.
‘We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year.’
Peace talks between the US, Ukraine and Russia are expected to resume in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
