In an interview with ITV News’ Robert Peston, the prime minister insisted Ukraine must be at the heart of any peace negotiations
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has told ITV News he is open to sending British soldiers to Ukraine as peacekeepers.
Speaking for the first time since Donald Trump announced he and Vladimir Putin have agreed to work together “very closely” on ending the war in Ukraine, Starmer insisted Ukraine must be at the heart of peace negotiations.
In an interview with ITV News’ Political Editor Robert Peston, the prime minister suggested Britain will play a part in any long-term peace deal that is negotiated but insisted Ukraine must remain “an independent viable state”.
The PM said that although Trump has a legitimate negotiating role, it is important the UN charter should not be ignored – the basic principle that one country shouldn’t invade another country.
Pointing to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s comments that he wants to see UK and French troops in Ukraine acting as peacekeepers, Peston asked Starmer: “Are you open to that?”
“Well, I won’t get into the particular capabilities, but I do accept that if there is peace then there needs to be some sort of security guarantee for Ukraine and the UK will play its part in,” the prime minister said.
“I’ve made that very clear to President Zelenskyy. But we do need that to be a guarantee that has US backing and again, I’ve been very clear about that.
“The precise makeup of that is obviously a matter of some discussion, but both of those factors need to be there and of course, needs to be coordinated with NATO.”
