Politico: Starmer says Ukraine needs strong position before any Trump-brokered peace deal with Russia

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an interview with Politico that Ukraine’s European allies must intensify their support in the fight against Russia to strengthen Kyiv’s position in negotiations with Moscow, Politico reports.

Starmer shared his remarks on the war in Ukraine after the visit to Kyiv on 16 January. The timing of the visit coincides with uncertainty following Donald Trump’s November election victory in the US. Trump, who takes office on 20 January, has announced plans to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine within 100 days. However, European leaders have expressed concerns that rushing into an agreement might result in Ukraine ceding territory to Russia.

When asked if Donald Trump’s return to the White House would mean Europe needs to do more for Ukraine, Starmer responded, “Yes, I think collectively we do need to do more. I think that is recognized across Europe.”

He emphasized that he was not telling other countries what actions they should take, describing himself as “a political collaborator,” but stressed that “we are now in a different global context regarding conflicts.”

In the interview, Starmer also promised that the UK would play an active role in any peace initiative arising from Trump’s presidency. He noted that the deployment of British peacekeeping troops in Ukraine could also be a possibility.

The report noted that Trump’s remarks about the plans to end the war in Ukraine swiftly have raised concerns among European allies.

This week, Republican Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio suggested that Kyiv and Moscow would have to compromise to reach the peace deal.

The journalists also pointed out that deploying multinational peacekeepers to Ukraine has gained momentum in Europe, particularly after the propositions of French President Emmanuel Macron. In the UK, the deployment of troops to another country must be considered in Parliament, though Starmer did not directly comment on whether he would allow lawmakers a vote on the matter.

“We are getting well ahead of ourselves. One of my concerns is an assumption about what might happen in the coming days. And my concern is that that could lead to some people taking their eye off the ball for today. Ukraine is in a war situation. And whether it’s war or negotiation, Ukraine needs to be in the strongest possible position,” Starmer said.

Starmer stated that British troops will play their role in a peacekeeping mission when the time comes.

“Obviously, there are many conversations [about] what that means. For me, what matters is that we bear in mind the principles: This has got to be enduring, it’s got to be effective, and it’s got to be a deterrence because the worst of all worlds is a cessation of hostilities that isn’t enduring and simply leads to further Russian aggression in years to come,” said Starmer.

Earlier, the UK Ministry of Defense announced the first successful trial of a Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon, capable of neutralizing targets, including drones, at distances of up to one kilometer.

The weapon could complement traditional missile-based air defense systems due to its cost-effectiveness, with each shot costing only $0.13.

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