By Burak Bir
LONDON (AA) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday the NATO allies must put Ukraine in the strongest possible position ahead of possible negotiations to end the war with Russia.
Speaking at a joint news conference with his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store, Starmer said Russia could stop the war "today."
"It's important that we put Ukraine in the strongest possible position if there are to be negotiations, and even if there aren't to be negotiations,” Starmer said in Bergen, southwestern Norway.
It’s time to double down on capabilities, financial commitments, and sanctions after more than a thousand days of the Russian war on Ukraine. which started in February 2022, he said.
For his part, Store – whose country is a founding member of NATO, along with the UK – agreed with Starmer that the war could "end easily" if Russia stops it and "pulls out of territories occupied."
“Our principal view is that there should be no negotiations without Ukraine, and Ukraine has to be there to define the circumstances for such negotiations," he added.
"But it is a war with terrible human costs and destruction which really should end as soon as possible.”
Store also pointed to the importance of continued support to Ukraine and reiterated his country's commitment to this.
Ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, a vocal critic of defense support to Ukraine, many European leaders have been stressing the need for this aid to continue.
Starmer arrived in Norway earlier Monday to discuss a new Green Industrial Partnership with Norway.
He is expected to proceed to Estonia later Monday to meet with its premier, Kristen Michal.
On Tuesday, Starmer will attend a Joint Expeditionary Force Leaders' Summit in Tallinn, the capital.