The UK will play its “full part” in peacekeeping in Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer has mentioned.
The aim of the journey was to debate the following steps for Ukraine, with the scenario now extra unsure following Donald Trump’s election victory in November.
Politics newest: Tories made mistake by leaving EU with out development plan, admits Badenoch
Mr Trump, whose inauguration takes place on 20 January, has mentioned he needs a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine inside 100 days.
However some European leaders concern pushing Kyiv right into a deal might result in Ukraine ceding a few of its territory to Vladimir Putin.
Sir Keir mentioned he didn’t need “to get ahead of ourselves” however that the UK would play its “full part” in any peace negotiations – together with by deploying British troops for peacekeeping.
Requested if he can be ready to try this, the prime minister replied: “Effectively, I do not wish to get forward of ourselves, however I do have indicated that we are going to play our full half – as a result of this is not nearly sovereignty in Ukraine.
“It’s about what the impact is back in the United Kingdom and our values, our freedom, our democracy. Because if Russia succeeds in this aggression, it will impact all of us for a very, very long time.”
On arriving in Ukraine to satisfy President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a Russian drone was shot over the sky over the presidential palace.
Sir Keir mentioned the drone risk was “a reminder of what Ukraine is facing every day” and that the warfare was led to by “Russian aggression”.
Elsewhere within the interview, Sir Keir was requested about his views on Ukraine’s longstanding need to hitch NATO – one thing President Putin strongly opposes.
At a NATO summit in Washington final summer season, the alliance’s members introduced that Ukraine was on an “irreversible” path to NATO membership.
“We fully support Ukraine’s right to choose its own security arrangements and decide its own future, free from outside interference. Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” the declaration mentioned.
Nonetheless, Mr Trump has acknowledged Moscow’s opposition to Ukraine becoming a member of NATO, saying: “Russia has somebody right on their doorstep, and I can understand their feeling about that.”
Watch the complete interview with Beth Rigby and Sir Keir Starmer on the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge at 7pm.
