Amid fears that Vladimir Putin could block a proposed 30-day ceasefire agreed by Kyiv and Washington on Tuesday, Downing Street said there was no Plan B to the process other than a continuation of the conflict.
Speaking alongside fellow European defence ministers in Paris on Wednesday, Defence Secretary John Healey said the world faced “decisive days in the push for peace” and that work on the coalition was “accelerating”.
French defence minister Sébastien Lecornu said 15 countries involved in the coalition were ready to offer support for the “security architecture” in Ukraine under the terms of a peace agreement.
The i Paper understands that, if Moscow accepts the 30-day interim ceasefire offer, which is being presented by Donald Trump’s officials in the Russian capital shortly, then that will be in place as soon as possible to allow breathing space for negotiations to begin for a lasting post-war settlement.
It is expected that the peacekeeping troops, if agreed by all sides, would then be deployed before the start of a permanent ceasefire, it is understood.
Starmer weighs up White House trip with Zelensky
Diplomats have been weighing up whether Starmer should go to the White House with Zelensky for the signing of any peace deal or minerals deal.
While it would associate Starmer more concretely with the success of his diplomacy and the deal, there is a risk that there could be a repeat of last month’s row in the Oval Office, which the UK PM would not want to be associated with.
Diplomats said there was a feeling that after the success of his first trip to Washington, it could not be topped and so why would they risk a failure.
When French president Emmanuel Macron suggested last week that he and Starmer would go, Downing Street downplayed the prospect.
A No10 insider insisted the premier had spent this week focused on the deal, rather than planning around trips.
He reiterated Russia’s stance that it will under no conditions accept the presence of Natotroops in Ukraine, should there be a permanent peace settlement.
“We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes to bring the war to an end. Now, clearly, it’s welcome that the Americans and Ukrainians have come to an agreement on a ceasefire … but the ball is now in the Russian court.”
“I say to President Putin, ‘over to you then’. Make no mistake – the pressure is on Putin
“It’s our job as defence ministers to keep our countries safe – and in the coming weeks you will see us coming together as our security is shared.”
Separately, Whitehall officials said the UK recognises that Trump is serious when it comes to his idea that a US “backstop” would be in the form of Washington’s economic interests in a minerals deal in Ukraine, first floated by the US president to Starmer in the White House last month.
The Prime Minister is not retreating on his request for those security guarantees to go further, by potentially having US air cover and support for peacekeeping troops, but the Trump minerals backstop is nevertheless being regarded as a serious offer.
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