Starmer says UK prepared to play a role in guaranteeing Ukrainian security
But Sir Keir said the current focus was on ensuring Ukraine was in a position of strength rather than any future peacekeeping mission.
The UK will “play our part” in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security following any peace deal, Sir Keir Starmer said.
The Prime Minister and Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky discussed a proposal for Western peacekeepers to monitor a future ceasefire, but Sir Keir said his current focus was on ensuring Kyiv’s forces were in the “strongest possible position” on the battlefield.
Sir Keir’s first visit to Kyiv since entering No 10 coincided with a drone attack by Vladimir Putin’s forces on the Ukrainian capital.
The Prime Minister is understood to have heard sirens warning Kyiv’s citizens of the air raid as he met with Mr Zelensky.
“Let’s be clear, we all want this war to end, no-one wants that more than Ukrainians, but right now Putin shows no sign of wanting peace,” Sir Keir said.
The air raid on Kyiv while he was visiting was “a reminder of the daily attacks and the resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of it”.
In response to the apparent message the Russian attack had sent, Mr Zelensky said: “We will say hello to them, too.”
France’s Emmanuel Macron has been leading calls for Nato allies to deploy troops to Ukraine to safeguard any peace deal.
Mr Zelensky said it was “a bit too early to talk about details”.
Sir Keir said: “We will work with you and all our allies for steps that would be robust enough to guarantee Ukraine’s security, to guarantee any possible peace and deter any future aggression.”
He said “those conversations will continue for many months ahead”, adding: “We will play our part when it comes to guaranteeing Ukraine’s security but we must never lose sight of the absolute need for Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position as we go into 2025.”
The visit comes just days before Donald Trump enters the White House, potentially signalling a shift in US support for Ukraine’s war effort in favour of a push for a peace deal.
Mr Trump’s pick for secretary of state Marco Rubio suggested on Wednesday that both Ukraine and Russia would have to make concessions to end the war.
Mr Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to secure “peace through strength” and last year Mr Zelensky said that “Russia must be forced into real peace, which can only be achieved through strength” as he urged world leaders to not be cowed by Russia.
Sir Keir made reference to “peace through strength” in Ukraine, and said that it is “strength together” that will set history “on the right path”.
“You know the phrase peace through strength has come to define the allied approach in Ukraine,” he told the press conference.
“But there is also a warning in that phrase that an absence of strength would not just bring about a worse peace, it would embolden aggressors everywhere, it will bring more war.
“The history of the 21st century is being written here and now, it is our strength together that will set it on the right path.”
Later in the same press conference, Sir Keir also paid tribute to the support that the US has given Kyiv.
“I’d actually like to pay tribute to the work that the US has done here,” he said.
“The support that they have put in because it’s been a vital component of what has been quite an incredible achievement by Ukraine.
“If I think about how long this conflict has gone on and the incredible success that Ukraine has had in the face of this aggression from Russia, that is a tribute to Ukraine, Ukrainians and their resolve, but also to all allies who’ve supported Ukraine, including the US.”
Sir Keir’s desire to make sure Ukraine is in the “strongest possible position” is an indication that Mr Zelensky’s allies want to ensure he goes into any talks on the front foot.
The UK has also cemented ties with Ukraine with a new 100-year partnership deal, which will set out co-operation between the countries in an agreement that will stretch into the next century.
The agreement will bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework covering the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Azov Sea to deter Russian aggression.
The partnership – which will take shape through a treaty and a political declaration – will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks, and will involve co-operation in areas such as healthcare, agricultural technology and the space industry.
Downing Street set out details of a £4.5 billion military aid package for Ukraine, including air defence systems, drones and equipment support.
The UK has committed £3 billion a year for as long as Ukraine needs it, and that will be supplemented with the first £1.5 billion from a £2.26 billion loan, which will be repaid with the profits from frozen Russian assets.
The UK-designed and rapidly developed Gravehawk system, funded jointly with Denmark, will be delivered this year.
The system is able to retrofit air-to-air missiles for ground-based air defence, meaning it can use existing Ukrainian missiles.
Ukrainian officer cadets will also be trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
A £61 million contract will see BAE Systems work with Sheffield Forgemasters to produce artillery barrels for the first time in almost two decades.
