Starmer hosts the Ukraine coalition’s call in an attempt to increase pressure on Russia

The leaders of 26 countries in a “coalition of wishing” agreed to increase pressure on Russia to support the ceasefire in Ukraine, but the UK Prime Minister Sir Starmer admitted that the United States is still not ready to provide the military “Backstrop” to ensure its continuation.

On Saturday, Starmer hosted a video meeting in which the group of European countries agreed mainly to increase military support for Ukraine and increase sanctions on Moscow to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to serious peace talks.

Starmer said: “The deterioration of the Kremlin and its delay on President Trump’s proposal, and the ongoing Berber attacks on Ukraine, are completely inconsistent with President Putin’s declared desire for peace,” Starmer said. Yes, but. . . “Not good enough.”

Speaking at Downing Street, Starmer stressed that the group of countries “will double and increase sanctions” to Russia, including looking at the option to seize Russian assets to intensify pressure on Putin.

British officials said that a number of countries have made new offers to send forces to Ukraine to help secure a peace agreement, but they refused to determine which of them. US President Donald Trump did not submit after a security period.

“The position of the United States has not changed,” said Starmer. “We were clear that this should be done in conjunction with the United States.” He said Britain was speaking to the United States on a daily basis.

Starmer launched what he called an alliance of those wishing to a summit in London two weeks ago, where the collected countries are studying different levels of support for Ukraine.

Most countries were in a call on Saturday from Europe, but the participants also included Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The European Union and NATO were represented along with Ukraine. Starmer said that Japan, which was not on the call, provided “support.”

Britain and France are the only countries that have been firmly committed to sending forces to Ukraine to help ensure a peace agreement, although others are open to the idea. Some provided financial or logistical support.

“My feeling is that it is sooner or later, Putin will have to come to the table and participate in serious discussions,” Starmer said at the beginning of the video call on Saturday.

“But – this is great, but for us this morning at our meeting – we cannot sit and simply wait for this. We have to continue moving forward and pushing forward and preparing for peace.”

Starmer told the meeting that the time had come to talk less and more “concrete obligations” and claimed at a press conference after talks stating that progress has been made in a number of areas.

The leaders agreed to conduct preparations to send a force to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement as a “strong” guarantee, with talks at the level of the military plan to be held in London on Thursday.

Starmer said that the leaders agreed to increase the financial and military support of Ukraine in the short term, but also in the long run, to help Kiev providing her security guarantees.

He stressed the need for our support for any peacekeeping process, saying that the danger is to “repeat the experience of recent years and Russia will penetrate the line again.”

He also emphasized that the leaders discussed the strengthening of sanctions if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire. The seizure of more than 200 billion euros of Russia’s frozen origin was being seen.

The number 10 acknowledged that the seizure of Russian assets – instead of using the accumulated interest from them to support Ukraine, as is the case now – was a “complex situation”.

Starmer said in a statement after a meeting on Saturday that the leaders “will continue to explore all legal ways to ensure that Russia is pushed to the damage to Ukraine.”

France and Germany, which has long opposed a full seizure of the assets held in the European Union, heated the idea and discussed with the United Kingdom and other ways in which it can be used as part of negotiation to end the war.

Britain and France offered the status of forces on the ground to help secure peace-but only if the initial ceasefire was for 30 days-while other countries are more frequent in providing direct military support.

Starmer told the meeting that the “coalition from those wishing” had to help “monitor the ceasefire” during a 30 -day proposed truce. UK officials said that this initially included satellites and surveillance instead of deploying the forces to Ukraine.

Countries, including Germany and Poland, have reservations about sending forces to Ukraine. The Italian Prime Minister, Georgia Meloni, said that the Italian participation in “potential military force on the ground was not perceived.”

Dutch Prime Minister, on the Dutch Prime Minister, said that the Netherlands will join the meeting of the military planners in London on Thursday “in the context of security guarantees.”

Ursula von der Lin, head of the European Commission, said the ball was in the Putin court. “Meanwhile, we will support the strengthening of Ukraine and its armed forces.”

“We will escalate the defense efforts in Europe by reuniting Europe,” she added, referring to the new Brussels initiatives aimed at increasing spending on national defense.

Additional reports by Amy Kazmen in Rome, Andy Points and Henry Voy in Brussels