Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued a stark warning that any potential peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine is destined to collapse unless it is underpinned by robust security guarantees from Western powers. His statement comes as Ukrainian officials face increasing pressure from the United States to consider a Trump-backed plan.
Starmer's Warning to Parliament
Addressing the House of Commons liaison committee on Monday, Starmer emphasised the lessons of history. He stated his firm opposition to any deal that fails to provide Ukraine with sufficient military assurances. "European history is full of peace agreements that failed and sometimes led to even greater conflict," the Prime Minister told MPs. "Putin has shown time and again that he will keep coming back for more if he sees the chance."
Starmer argued that peace deals predominantly fail due to a lack of strong security backing. This belief, he said, was the driving force behind the coalition of the willing he established with French President Emmanuel Macron. The initiative aims to provide guarantees from participating nations, operating alongside the United States.
MI6 Chief Echoes Concerns Over Putin's Intentions
In a separate speech that aligned with the government's stance, the new head of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, accused Vladimir Putin of dragging out negotiations. She reinforced the intelligence agency's long-held assessment that the Russian leader is not serious about ending the war on terms unfavourable to the Kremlin.
Metreweli criticised Putin's "historical distortions" and affirmed that the UK's support for Ukraine would be enduring. She stated this support is "fundamental not just to European sovereignty and security but to global stability."
Diplomatic Moves and Zelenskyy's Concession
Starmer's parliamentary comments preceded his flight to Berlin for a dinner with leaders from eight European countries, as well as the heads of the European Commission, the EU Council, and NATO. The Prime Minister is among a core group of Western leaders advising President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as diplomatic talks involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine intensify.
This follows a coordinated show of support last week, where Starmer hosted Zelenskyy at Downing Street alongside President Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The Ukrainian leader spent Monday in Berlin, where officials have been engaged in two days of talks with US counterparts. Zelenskyy described the discussions as "not easy" but productive.
In a significant shift over the weekend, Zelenskyy indicated a willingness to drop Ukraine's NATO membership ambition to facilitate an agreement. In exchange, Ukraine and its European allies are pushing for security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all.
Starmer has previously stated the UK's readiness to commit troops to a multinational force defending Ukrainian sovereignty. However, such a move would depend on logistical support from Washington, the details of which remain uncertain.
The diplomatic flurry occurs as European officials grapple with the implications of a new US national security strategy launched by Donald Trump, which controversially claimed Europe faces "civilisational erasure." Starmer used his Monday address to reiterate his call for increased European defence spending, urging nations to "step up, step into the breach on spend, capability, coordination."
