Vladimir Putin will “sooner or later” have to come to the negotiating table, Sir Keir Starmer said as he began further talks on a “coalition of the willing” on Saturday.
Addressing around 25 world leaders from the Cabinet room in 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister said President Volodymyr Zelensky – who joined Saturday’s call – had “shown once again that Ukraine is the party of peace” by agreeing to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
Accusing Mr Putin of trying to “delay” progress on a ceasefire, he said: “If Putin is serious about peace, it’s very simple. He has to stop his barbaric attacks on Ukraine and agree to a ceasefire.
“The world is watching. My feeling is that sooner or later he is going to have to come to the table and engage in serious discussions.”
Saturday’s virtual meeting is aimed at continuing plans for a peacekeeping force of Western troops to be deployed in the event of a ceasefire, although Russia has indicated it would not accept Nato or European soldiers in Ukraine.
Sir Keir told his counterparts they could not “sit back and simply wait” for a ceasefire, adding: “We have to keep pushing ahead, pushing forward and preparing for peace, and a peace that will be secure and that will last.”
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