Sir Keir Starmer has vowed further sanctions to put more pressure on Vladimir Putin to “make concessions” and warned the Russian leader he “does not hold all the cards.”
Starmer said the US President Donald Trump has “changed the global conversation” on Ukraine and as such there is now an “opportunity” for world leaders as we mark the third anniversary of this brutal war.
Starmer repeated calls for President Zelensky to have a seat at the table for peace talks and of an American “backstop” to any peace agreement.
The British Prime Minister said the government will go after the Russian shadow fleet and businesses in China or anywhere that is helping Russia with military components.
Starmer said the Home Office are to widen travel sanctions for Kremlin linked elites as they are not welcome in the UK.
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The British Security Minister Dan Jarvis said expanding sanctions will also “slam the door shut to the oligarchs who have enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people whilst bankrolling” the war.
“My message to Putin’s friends in Moscow is simple: you are not welcome in the UK,” he added.
Defence Secretary John Healey said, “Keeping the Ukrainians in their fight and as strong as possible at any negotiating table is critical not only for them, but for the security of the UK.
“These new measures send a powerful message that we will do what it takes to turn the tables on Putin’s aggression.”
Starmer told the Kyiv meeting, “President Trump has changed the global conversation over the last few weeks, and it has created an opportunity. Now we must get the fundamentals right.
“If we want peace to endure, Ukraine must have a seat at the table, and any settlement must be based on a sovereign Ukraine backed up with strong security guarantees.
“The UK is ready and willing to support this with troops on the ground, with other Europeans and with the right conditions in place, and ultimately, a US backstop will be vital to deter Russia from launching another invasion in just a few years’ time.”
