British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, referring to him as a 'war leader' during a UK parliamentary debate on Monday. Starmer condemned Russia as the aggressor in the conflict and urged solidarity with Zelensky and the Ukrainian people.
In response to a question from Nigel Farage, a right-wing member of parliament and close ally of former US President Donald Trump, Starmer underscored the need to stand with Zelensky and not appease Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Starmer did not directly criticize Trump for his handling of Zelensky's recent visit to the White House, he cautioned against trusting Putin, citing the Russian leader's history of broken promises.
Starmer stressed the importance of including security guarantees in any potential peace agreement with Russia, warning that Putin cannot be relied upon to uphold agreements. He highlighted Russia's past use of ceasefire agreements to further its military objectives, citing instances where Moscow had violated agreements shortly after signing them.
Ukraine's first deputy prime minister echoed Starmer's concerns, accusing Russia of a pattern of deception, false promises, and escalation in the conflict. She pointed to a specific incident in December 2019 when Russia broke a ceasefire agreement shortly after signing it during talks in Paris.
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with perceived resistance from Zelensky, suggesting that the end of the war in Ukraine was still a distant prospect. Trump's comments contrasted with Starmer's call for unwavering support for Zelensky and a cautious approach to dealing with Putin.
