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Sir Keir Starmer today warned Vladimir Putin ‘the world is watching’ as he told global leaders the Russian leader will have to come to the negotiating table ‘sooner or later’.
The prime minister told around 25 world leaders from the Cabinet table inside Number 10 that Volodymyr Zelensky had ‘shown once again that Ukraine is the party of peace’.
Ukraine has already signalled its agreement to a US-proposed unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
Putin has said that while he supports the ‘idea’ of a ceasefire, he would only agree to one on his terms.
Accusing Putin of ‘delay’, Sir Keir said: ‘If Putin is serious about peace, it’s very simple. He has to stop his barbaric attacks on Ukraine and agree to a ceasefire.
‘The world is watching. My feeling is that sooner or later he is going to have to come to the table and engage in serious discussions.’
Saturday’s virtual meeting is aimed at continuing plans for a peacekeeping force of Western troops to be deployed in the event of a ceasefire.
However, Russia has indicated it would not accept Nato or European soldiers in Ukraine.
Sir Keir told his counterparts they could not ‘sit back and simply wait’ for a ceasefire.]
He said: ‘We have to keep pushing ahead, pushing forward and preparing for peace, and a peace that will be secure and that will last.’
‘I think that means strengthening Ukraine so they can defend themselves, and strengthening, obviously, in terms of military capability, in terms of funding, in terms of the provision of further support from all of us to Ukraine.’
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