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Sir Keir Starmer is prepared to support a peace deal in Ukraine without a ceasefire being in place, No 10 has indicated, as the prime minister reiterated that he is prepared to put “boots on the ground” to ensure security in the event of an agreement being struck.
Downing Street on Monday called for “an end to the killing in Ukraine” but stopped short of reiterating the government’s previous position, that a ceasefire was needed before peace talks could take place.
Vladimir Putin has resisted calls to accept an unconditional ceasefire before entering talks about a long-term peace deal with Volodymyr Zelensky. And, following a summit between Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday, the US president dropped his demands for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict.
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Sir Keir Starmer is travelling to Washington DC(X/@Keir_Starmer)
He has instead adopted Putin’s approach, which is expected to see Ukraine forced to give up territory to end the fighting.
Asked on Monday whether Britain was still calling for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate peace talks, Sir Keir’s official spokesman said: “We are all working towards the same goal, which is ending the killing in Ukraine.
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“We have said we want to see a sustainable and just peace for Ukraine, which ensures peace returns to Europe and the Ukrainian people can live without fear of attack again.”
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Asked whether it marked a change of stance from the government’s previous position, which was to call for a “full, unconditional ceasefire to create space for talks on a just and lasting peace”, the PM’s spokesman repeated “we want to bring about an end to the killing”.
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The last meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump descended into a bust-up(AFP via Getty Images)
“If you can bring about an end to the killing and bring about a sustained peace in one go, then all the better,” he added.
Ukraine's borders are for the country to determine itself in negotiations, the spokesman added, stressing that "international borders must not be changed by force".
As he headed to Washington DC to support Mr Zelensky in crunch talks with Mr Trump and other European leaders, Sir Keir said allies must "make sure" there is "fair" and "just" peace in Ukraine.
In a video posted on X, the Prime Minister said of the conflict: "Everybody wants it to end, not least the Ukrainians.
"But we've got to get this right. We've got to make sure there is peace, that it is lasting peace, and that it is fair and that it is just.
"That's why I'm travelling to Washington with other European leaders to discuss this face to face with president Trump and president Zelensky, because it's in everyone's interests, it's in the UK's interests that we get this right."
Downing Street also stressed Britain still backs Ukraine joining Nato, despite Mr Trump suggesting Kyiv should not be allowed to become a member of the defence alliance.
"Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine's pathway to the EU or Nato," the Prime Minister's official spokesman said.
Asked if Mr Trump could have a veto, the spokesman repeated that "our position on Ukraine and Nato hasn't changed" and that Ukraine is on "irreversible path" to membership.
Asked if Sir Keir Starmer is confident the US leader would not try to veto membership, the spokesman said No 10 is working "hand in glove" with Mr Trump on Ukraine.
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The White House meeting today is an "important moment on the journey towards lasting peace", he added.
The security guarantees the US has signalled it is willing to provide are "important aspect of the discussions", he said.