A “US security guarantee” is the only path to peace in Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Speaking in Paris after an emergency summit with European leaders, the prime minister said a “US backstop” is the “only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again”.
And he said the future of Ukraine is not the only thing at stake.
“It is an existential question for Europe as a whole, and therefore vital for Britain’s national interests,” he added.
“This is a once in a generation moment for the collective security of our continent.”
It is a “new era”, he said, in which nations cannot “cling hopelessly to the comforts of the past”.
Any peace deal for Ukraine must “safeguard its sovereignty” and deter Russian leader Vladimir Putin from engaging in “further aggression in the future”, Sir Keir added.
Follow live: Russia gives more details ahead of peace talks with US
Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron in Paris: Pic: Number 10/Flickr
The prime minister joined the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark and the European Union at the Elysee Palace in Paris, alongside NATO secretary general Mark Rutte.
The meeting was called by French President Emmanuel Macron after Donald Trump shocked continental leaders by arranging bilateral talks between the US and Russia – excluding Europe and Ukraine.
The talks are set to begin in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Sir Keir however insisted that “Europe must play its role”, adding: “I’m prepared to consider committing British forces on the ground alongside others if there is a lasting peace agreement.
“So I will go to Washington next week to meet President Trump and discuss what we see as the key elements of a lasting peace.”
It is “clear the US is not going to…
