British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to “play games” with a possibility of a ceasefire in Ukraine.
This was reported by The Guardian, Ukrinform saw.
As noted, on Saturday, Starmer will host a meeting of a “coalition of the willing” involving leaders of nearly 25 countries that have agreed to help maintain h peace in Ukraine.
European nations, the EU Commission, NATO, Canada, Ukraine, Australia and New Zealand are expected to participate in a video conference and provide updates on the assistance they could offer toward enforcing a peace deal.
According to the outlet, Starmer will outline to the leaders the details of the plan he is developing jointly with French President Emmanuel Macron. The two leaders spoke on Friday evening ahead of the summit.
“We can’t allow President Putin to play games with President Trump’s deal,” Starmer said. “The Kremlin’s complete disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal only serves to demonstrate that Putin is not serious about peace.
He said that, if Russia finally comes to the negotiating table, “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.”
Starmer said Putin was trying to delay the process, saying that a painstaking study must be run before a ceasefire can take place. “[B]ut the world needs to see action, not a study or empty words and pointless conditions,” the British prime minister stressed.
As Ukrinform reported, on Tuesday, the U.S. and Ukrainian delegations met for talks in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia). The parties issued a joint statement following the meeting.
The document states that Ukraine expressed its readiness to accept the U.S. proposal to immediately introduce a temporary, 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual consent of the warring parties, provided that it is accepted and simultaneously implemented by the Russian Federation.
Following the negotiations, the U.S. announced the resumption of military assistance to and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Putin said Moscow agreed with the proposal to cease hostilities in Ukraine, at the same time putting forward Russia’s own conditions to this end.
Photo: Capital Pictures / Alamy
Source: Putin cannot be allowed to "play games" around Ukraine ceasefire - Starmer
