Ukraine supporters move to an “operational phase” in planning a ceasefire, says Starmer

Leaders of 26 countries have agreed to move to an “operational phase” in planning a multinational force to guarantee a ceasefire in Ukraine, British Prime Minister Sir Kir Starmer said, adding: “Let the guns remain silent.”

Starmer said military planners will meet in London on Thursday to discuss how a truce can be guaranteed “with strong security arrangements through our ready -made coalition”.

After hosting a video call for the 26 main European leaders on Saturday, Starmer acknowledged that the United States was not yet ready to secure a military “rear” to ensure that every peace was durable.

“The burning and delay in cream in the proposal of President Trump’s ceasefire, and the extended barbaric attacks on Russia on Ukraine, were contrary to President Putin’s said desire for peace,” Starmer said. “Position of” yes “but. . . “It’s not good enough.”

Speaking on Downing Street, Starmer confirmed that the group of countries would “double and increase Russia’s sanctions, including the option of seizing Russian assets to boost pressure on Putin.

British authorities have said many countries have made new offers to send troops to Ukraine to help secure the peace deal, but have refused to say which.

“The US position has not changed,” Starmer said, referring to the idea of ​​US military support for a UK -led peacekeeping guarantee. “We are clear that this should be done about the United States.” He said the UK speaks daily with the United States.

Starmer launched what he called a coalition ready at the London Summit two weeks ago, with gathered countries considering a different level of support for Ukraine.

Most of the call countries were from Europe on Saturday; Participants also included Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The EU and NATO were presented together with Ukraine. Starmer said that Japan, who was not on call, offered “support”.

The UK and France are the only countries that are firmly committed to sending troops to Ukraine to help guarantee the peace deal, although others are open to the idea. Some offered financial or logistical support.

The leaders have agreed to make preparations for force to be sent to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal acting as a “stable” guarantee, with talks at the level of a military planner to be held in London on Thursday.

“We have agreed to speed up our practical work to support a potential agreement. So, now we will move to an operational phase, “the British prime minister said.

Starmer said the leaders had agreed to increase financial and military support for Ukraine in the short term, but also in the long run, to help Kiev provide their own security guarantees.

He stressed the need to support us for any peacekeeping operation, saying the risk is that “we will repeat the experience of recent years and Russia will break the line again”.

The prime minister also confirmed that the leaders had discussed the strengthening of sanctions if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire. Downing Street said Russia was being seized by more than 200 billion euros of frozen funds in Russia.

Number 10 has acknowledged that the seizure of Russian assets – despite the use of the interest raised by them to support Ukraine, as he does right now – is a “complex state”.

Starmer said the leaders would “continue to explore all legal roads to ensure that Russia pays for the damage it has done for Ukraine”.

France and Germany, which have long opposed a full seizure of EU -kept funds, warm up the idea and discuss other ways of the UK, in which they could be used as part of the negotiations to end the war.

While Britain and France offered to put troops on the ground to help secure peace-but only if the proposed initial ceasefire of 30 days-other countries do not want to execute direct military support.

Starmer said at a meeting that the “Coalition of Ready” must help “monitor the ceasefire” during the ceasefire. It will initially include satellites and surveillance, not the deployment of troops in Ukraine, UK officials said.

Countries, including Germany and Poland, have reservations to send troops to Ukraine. The Office of Giorgiaord Meloni, prime minister of Italy, said Italian participation in “possible military force on the ground is not foreseen”.

Dick Shoff, Dutch Prime Minister, F. the F. Hondska will join a meeting of military planners on Thursday “in the context of security guarantees”.

Ursula von der Lane, president of the European Commission, said the ball is in Putin’s court. “In the meantime, we will support the strengthening of Ukraine and its armed forces,” she said.

“Weille we are stepping up our defense efforts in Europe through Rem Europe,” she added, referring to initiatives for new Brussels, aimed at increasing national defense spending.

German Chancellor-To Be Friedrich Mertz, whose Christian Democratic Party wins last month’s election, has reached an agreement with the country’s main parties to inject hundreds of billions in the German defense sector and release military aid to Ukraine from strict borrowing restrictions. The German parliament is due to vote on constitutional changes on Tuesday.

Additional reporting from Amy Kazmin in Rome, Anna-Silvaine Denies in Berlin and Andy Bons and Henry Hoy in Brussels