The Prime Minister United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, will sign up to a coalition willing to protect any eventual ceasefire in Ukraine, having said Russian President Vladimir Putin was not serious about peace.
British prime minister is expected to tell some 25 fellow leaders during a virtual summit that “now is the time for concrete commitments”, as Putin mulls a US proposal of a 30-day pause to the conflict.
Starmer said in comments released by Downing Street late Friday, ahead of the call on Saturday morning, stating that he cannot allow President Putin to play games with President Trump’s deal.
“The Kremlin’s complete disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal only serves to demonstrate that Putin is not serious about peace.
“If Russia finally comes to the table, then we must be ready to monitor a ceasefire to ensure it is a serious, and enduring peace. If they don’t, then we need to strain every sinew to ramp up economic pressure on Russia to secure an end to this war,” he added.
Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have been leading efforts to assemble a so-called “coalition of the willing” ever since Trump opened direct negotiations with Moscow last month.
They say the group is necessary, along with US support, to provide Ukraine with security guarantees by deterring Putin from violating any ceasefire.
