LONDON: UK premier Keir Starmer mentioned on Saturday (Mar 15) Russian President Vladimir Putin would “ultimately” need to “come to the desk” as he opened a digital summit to drum up assist for a coalition prepared to guard any eventual ceasefire in Ukraine.
The British prime minister advised some 25 fellow leaders as they joined a digital name hosted by Downing Road that they need to give attention to tips on how to strengthen Ukraine, shield any ceasefire and sustain the stress on Moscow.
Whereas Ukraine had proven it was the “occasion of peace” by agreeing to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, “Putin is the one making an attempt to delay,” he mentioned.
“If Putin is critical about peace, I believe it is quite simple, he has to cease his barbaric assaults on Ukraine and conform to a ceasefire, and the world is watching,” he added.
In a single day preventing continued within the relentless three-year conflict, with Russia saying it had taken two extra villages in its Kursk border area the place it has launched an offensive to wrest again seized territory.
As strikes have gathered tempo for a ceasefire, Moscow has pushed this week to retake a big a part of the land that Ukraine initially captured in western Kursk.
The Russian defence ministry mentioned troops took management over the villages of Zaoleshenka and Rubanshchina – north and west of the city of Sudzha, the principle city that Moscow reclaimed this week.
Kyiv in the meantime mentioned its air pressure had in a single day downed 130 Iranian-made Russian-launched Shahed drones over 14 areas of the nation.
Putin has known as on embattled Ukrainian troops in Kursk to “give up”, whereas his US counterpart Donald Trump urged the Kremlin to spare their lives.
“We won’t permit President Putin to play video games with President Trump’s deal,” Starmer mentioned in feedback launched by Downing Road late on Friday, forward of Saturday’s name.
“The Kremlin’s full disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal solely serves to reveal that Putin will not be critical about peace.”
Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have been main efforts to assemble a so-called “coalition of the prepared” ever since Trump opened direct negotiations with Moscow final month.
They are saying the group is important – together with US assist – to supply Ukraine with safety ensures by deterring Putin from violating any ceasefire.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was on Saturday’s name, mentioned on Friday he had mentioned “technical points” of how the ceasefire may very well be applied with Macron.
“Our groups proceed to work on clear safety ensures, and they are going to be prepared quickly,” Zelenskyy mentioned on social media platform X.
Starmer and Macron have mentioned they’re prepared to place British and French troops on the bottom in Ukraine however it isn’t clear if different nations are eager on doing the identical.
