The Prime Minister travelled to Switzerland yesterday to reiterate the UK’s support for Ukraine, as the first leader level peace summit focused on the future of the country got underway.
More than 50 heads of state and governments attended the summit near Lucerne, making it the largest world leader gathering solely focused on Ukraine since the invasion began.
Speaking at the summit last night, the Prime Minister said: “Those who aid Russia by providing the weapons of war, or components for those weapons should look at this summit today. They should look at Bucha, Mariupol, Kharkiv, and they should reflect on the choice they have made.
“They are placing themselves on the side of the aggressor – and on the wrong side of history. Putin has no interest in a genuine peace. He has launched a sustained diplomatic campaign against this summit ordering countries to stay away, spinning a phoney narrative about his willingness to negotiate.
“We should ask Russia why they feel so threatened by a summit discussing the basic principles of territorial integrity, food security and nuclear safety.”
The Prime Minister went on: “From a position of strength, we must work with President Zelenskyy to set out the principles for a just and lasting peace, based on international law and the UN Charter.
“That is the path to a permanent cessation of hostilities. It will show Ukraine that we’ll stand by them when they are ready for negotiations.
“And it will show Putin’s allies in North Korea, Iran and elsewhere that we will protect the right of all nations to determine their own future.”
While at the summit, the Prime Minister met President Zelenskyy to reiterate the UK’s support for Ukraine, including ensuring any future peace deal is sustainable, and crucially, on Ukraine’s terms.
The summit follows the meeting of the G7 in Italy this week, where the UK, alongside G7 partners, announced 50 new sanctions designations and specifications to degrade Putin’s war machine, and committed to providing £242m in bilateral assistance to Ukraine, to support immediate humanitarian, energy and stabilisation needs.
The UK also agreed with the G7 to provide a new loan for Ukraine worth $50bn, which will be repaid by the extraordinary revenues that come from the frozen assets of Russia’s central bank, both in Europe and around the world.
National Security Advisor Sir Tim Barrow is also attending the two-day Swiss summit.
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