Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will face “severe consequences” if he breaches any future peace deal with Ukraine. Speaking at a meeting of defence chiefs in London, Starmer emphasized the need for robust security arrangements to ensure the sovereignty of Kyiv, stating he is “certain” Putin would flout the terms of any truce without such measures in place.
The meeting, held at the Northwood military headquarters, involved defence officials from 31 allied countries to develop plans for enforcing a potential peace agreement. Starmer ruled out redeploying UK troops from other commitments, such as Estonia, but stressed the importance of offering Ukraine support by air, sea, and land if a deal is reached.
Starmer highlighted the necessity of turning political intentions into actionable plans, noting that a deal without enforcement mechanisms would likely be violated by Putin, as has happened in the past. Foreign Secretary David Lammy echoed this sentiment, stating that Putin should not have a “veto” over the presence of European peacekeepers in Ukraine.
Recent diplomatic efforts, including calls between US President Donald Trump, Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, have yet to produce a 30-day ceasefire. While Putin agreed to suspend attacks on energy infrastructure, Ukraine reported continued strikes on civilian targets, including a hospital.
Zelensky expressed optimism about achieving lasting peace this year but emphasized the need for international support. British military intelligence estimates that 200,000-250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since the 2022 invasion, with total casualties, including wounded, reaching around 900,000.
The UK and its allies are focused on ensuring any peace deal is backed by concrete security measures to prevent further violations by Russia.
