UK says Ukraine 'must have a seat' at negotiating table to get enduring peace

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The British premier on Monday reaffirmed the country's firm support to Ukraine, stressing that Kyiv must be part in peace negotiations "if we want peace to endure."

"We must increase the pressure even further to deliver an enduring peace, not just a pause in the fighting," Keir Starmer told via video link world leaders gathered in Kyiv to mark the third anniversary of the beginning of Russian war on Ukraine.

Starmer said that Russia does not "hold all the cards in this war" because Russia's economy is in "trouble," and because they have now "lost the best of their land forces and their Black Sea Fleet in this pointless invasion."

The British premier said that in a bid to increase pressure to get enduring peace, there is a need to step up military support to Ukraine, increase economic pressure on Russia, and bring collective strength to the peace effort.

As he will be discussing further steps with G7 later Monday, Starmer underlined that the G7 should be ready "to take on more risk, including the oil price cap."

He said: "We must bring our collective strength to the peace effort. (US) President (Donald) Trump has changed the global conversation over the last few weeks, and it has created an opportunity."

"Now we must get the fundamentals right. If we want peace to endure, Ukraine must have a seat at the table, and any settlement must be based on a sovereign Ukraine backed up with strong security guarantees," he added.