Starmer: 'Putin dragging feet on ceasefire'

Keir Starmer accused Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet over agreeing to a ceasefire with Ukraine yesterday as international pressure grew on the Russian president to enter talks.

- Toby Helm & Shaun Walker Kyiv

The prime minister said there was a limit to the length of time Putin could prevaricate, after he convened a virtual summit with 29 other international leaders who agreed to take plans for a peacekeeping force to an “operational phase”.

Starmer said military chiefs would meet in London on Thursday to “put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine's future security”.

Those who took part in the virtual summit included the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Afterwards, Starmer said “new commitments” had been made on both peacekeeping and tightening sanctions on Russia.

“Sooner or later, he is going to have to come to the table and engage in serious discussions,” the prime minister said.

“So this is the moment: let the guns fall silent, let the barbaric attacks on Ukraine once and for all stop, and agree to a ceasefire now.”

As well as the European nations, the leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand also joined the call, as did Nato's secretary general, Mark Rutte.