Keir Starmer jets to Kyiv to issue warning to Vladimir Putin over war ceasefire

 

Trump Backs 30-Day Ceasefire in Ukraine as Western Leaders Unite in Kyiv

Following a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump has voiced support for calls to establish a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to arrive in Kyiv on Saturday, joining French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in urging Russia to agree to the ceasefire. The leaders aim to present a unified front in Kyiv, standing alongside President Zelenskyy in a show of solidarity.

In a joint statement, the leaders declared:

“We, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom, stand together in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s brutal and illegal full-scale invasion. We reaffirm our support for President Trump’s call for a peace agreement and urge Russia to stop obstructing efforts toward a lasting resolution.
Together with the United States, we call on Russia to commit to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to allow space for meaningful peace negotiations.”

The leaders plan to hold a virtual summit with Zelenskyy to update other allied nations on progress toward forming a post-conflict coalition. This coalition would focus on rebuilding Ukraine’s armed forces across air, land, and sea, and bolstering long-term stability after any peace deal is reached.

They added:

“We are ready to support peace talks immediately, including technical preparations for implementing a ceasefire and laying the groundwork for a comprehensive peace agreement.

The bloodshed must stop. Russia must end its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be allowed to thrive as a secure, sovereign nation within its internationally recognized borders.”

Until Russia agrees to a lasting ceasefire, they warned, the pressure on Moscow will intensify:

“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine and escalate pressure on Russia’s war machine.”

Speaking from Oslo aboard the HMS St Albans, Sir Keir Starmer emphasized that the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) remains firmly focused on defending Ukraine and upholding the hard-won values of the Second World War.

Asked about the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping at Victory Day events in Moscow, Starmer said:

“Our message is clear: our focus is on Ukraine. Alongside NATO allies here in Norway, we held talks that included a virtual address from President Zelensky.
Today, we also unveiled the UK’s largest sanctions package to date, targeting Russia’s shadow fleet. These efforts—developed in close coordination with our allies—are central to our shared mission: standing with Ukraine and defending the values we commemorated yesterday on VE Day.”