Sir Keir Starmer will urge allies to step up economic efforts to "cripple" Vladimir Putin's military amid European concerns about US President Donald Trump's support for Ukraine. The Prime Minister plans to discuss intensified pressure strategies with international partners as tensions mount over military aid.
The talks with the so-called "coalition of the willing" are scheduled for Friday. These discussions follow failed negotiations between Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump that did not result in the US supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, with reports suggesting the Ukrainian president faced pressure to accept Moscow's demands.
The Financial Times reported that last week's meeting between Zelensky and Trump at the White House descended into a "shouting match". Despite this, Zelensky has publicly insisted the meeting was "positive" whilst acknowledging underlying tensions about US strategy.
Trump-Ukraine tensions
Zelensky suggested Trump does not want to escalate tensions with Russia before a potential face-to-face meeting with Putin. "In my opinion, he does not want an escalation with the Russians until he meets with them," Zelensky said.
Starmer said he wanted Ukraine to be put in the "strongest possible position" before, during and after any ceasefire, although he emphasised Putin was not serious about peace negotiations. The Prime Minister's intervention comes as European leaders express growing concerns about future US military support.
Economic pressure strategy
Speaking before this week's coalition talks, Starmer said: "We must be resolute in our support for Ukraine and I'm committed to intensifying our efforts to cripple Putin's war machine. Russia's stalling tactics have shown time and time again that Ukraine is the only party serious about peace."
The Prime Minister added: "Tyrants like Putin only respond to strength. We must ramp up the pressure on his economy and defence industry, as we did last week with a major package of sanctions until he's ready to make peace." He warned that Ukraine's future directly impacts European security as winter approaches.
Starmer concluded: "We cannot lose sight of the fact that Ukraine's future is our future, and the next few days and weeks will be pivotal for the future of European security."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
