PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE UKRAINE SITUATION YESTERDAY:
President Trump’s efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended.
While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelenskyy. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him.
This morning, I spoke to President Zelenskyy, President Trump and other European partners, and we all stand ready to support this next phase.
I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal. This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more.
In the meantime, until he stops his barbaric assault, we will keep tightening the screws on his war machine with even more sanctions, which have already had a punishing impact on the Russian economy and its people.
Our unwavering support for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.
KEIR STARMER WAS ALSO A SIGNATORY TO A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ‘COALITION OF THE WILLING EUROPEAN LEADERS:
Statement by President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Starmer, President Stubb, Prime Minister Tusk, President Costa, President von der Leyen:
Early this morning, President Trump debriefed us and President Zelenskyy following his meeting with the Russian President in Alaska on 15 August 2025.
Leaders welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace.
As President Trump said ‘there’s no deal until there’s a deal’. As envisioned by President Trump, the next step must now be further talks including President Zelenskyy, whom he will meet soon.
We are also ready to work with President Trump and President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support.
We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We welcome President Trump’s statement that the US is prepared to give security guarantees.
The Coalition of the Willing is ready to play an active role. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO.
It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force.
Our support to Ukraine will continue. We are determined to do more to keep Ukraine strong in order to achieve an end to the fighting and a just and lasting peace.
As long as the killing in Ukraine continues, we stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia. We will continue to strengthen sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia’s war economy until there is a just and lasting peace.
Ukraine can count on our unwavering solidarity as we work towards a peace that safeguards Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.
UKRAINE’S leader Volodymyr Zelensky travels to Washington tomorrow for talks with the US President Donald Trump.
Statement by President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Tusk, Prime Minister Starmer, President von der Leyen and President Stubb on Peace for Ukraine ahead of President Trump’s planned meeting with President Putin.
We welcome President Trump’s work to stop the killing in Ukraine, end the Russian Federation’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine.
We are convinced that only an approach that combines active diplomacy, support to Ukraine and pressure on the Russian Federation to end their illegal war can succeed.
We stand ready to support this work diplomatically as well as by upholding our substantive military and financial support to Ukraine, including through the work of the Coalition of the Willing, and by upholding and imposing restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.
We share the conviction that a diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.
We agree that these vital interests include the need for robust and credible security guarantees that enable Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny.
Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force. The current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations.
We reiterate that Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Budapest Memorandum, and successive Russian commitments. We underline our unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
We continue to stand firmly by the side of Ukraine. We are united as Europeans and determined to jointly promote our interests.
And we will continue to cooperate closely with President Trump and with the United States of America, and with President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, for a peace in Ukraine that protects our vital security interests.
Joint Statement from the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom
The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom strongly reject the decision of the Israeli Security Cabinet on 8th August to launch an additional large-scale military operation in Gaza.
It will aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages, and further risk the mass displacement of civilians. The plans that the Government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law. Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law.
We urge the parties and the international community to make all efforts to finally bring this terrible conflict to an end now, through an immediate and permanent ceasefire that enables the provision of a massive, immediate and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, as the worst-case scenario of a famine is unfolding in Gaza. Hamas must release all hostages without further delay or precondition and must ensure they are humanely treated and not subject to cruelty and humiliation.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. We call on the Government of Israel to urgently find solutions to amend its recent registration system of international humanitarian organisations, to ensure these vital actors of humanitarian aid can continue their essential work again in line with humanitarian principles to reach the civilians in need in Gaza. Their exclusion would be an egregious signal.
We are united in our commitment to the implementation of a negotiated two-state solution as the only way to guarantee that both Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, security, and dignity.
A political resolution based on a negotiated two-state solution requires the total demilitarisation of Hamas and its complete exclusion from any form of governance in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian Authority must have a central role.
IT’S worth noting that the United States is NOT a signatory. And the US is perhaps the only country that Netanyahu listens to. The slaughter will go on …and all the while our UK government continues to provide arms to Israel.
First Minister says United States remains one of Scotland’s closest partners
Scotland will have “a platform to make its voice heard” during the visit of the President of the United States, First Minister John Swinney has said.
Speaking ahead of President Trump’s arrival, Mr Swinney said the global attention the visit will receive provides Scotland with an opportunity to respectfully demonstrate the principles of freedom and justice for all, while also promoting Scotland’s tourism sector and economic investment potential.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Scotland shares a strong friendship with the United States that goes back centuries. That partnership remains steadfast through economic, cultural and ancestral links – including of course, with the President himself.
“As we welcome the President of the United States, Scotland will be showcased on the world stage. This provides Scotland with a platform to make its voice heard on the issues that matter, including war and peace, justice and democracy.
“It also includes the millions of Americans – many of them potential future tourists or investors in Scotland – who will watch their elected President as he visits our country.
“As First Minister it is my responsibility to advance our interests, raise global and humanitarian issues of significant importance, including the unimaginable suffering we are witnessing in Gaza, and ensure Scotland’s voice is heard at the highest levels of government across the world. That is exactly what I will do when I meet with President Trump during his time in Scotland.
“We are a proud democratic nation, a country that stands firm on the principles of equality and freedom for all, and a society that stands up for a fair and just world. The right to peaceful demonstration is something we cherish, and everyone has the democratic right to protect and express their views in a peaceful, and democratic manner. That is right and proper.
“I am confident the vast majority of people protesting will do Scotland proud and demonstrate as they should – peacefully and lawfully.
“I am also confident that Scotland’s police service can handle the challenge of keeping all our communities safe and, as they must, in maintaining the appropriate security any US President requires.
“This weekend is a landmark moment in our relationship with the United States, and I am certain it will be remembered for Scotland showing the world the very best of itself.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy made a statement to parliament on the Middle East yesterday:
With permission, Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the Middle East.
I’ll begin on Syria.
We have been horrified by the recent violence in the south, including civilian deaths.
Clashes between Druze and Bedouin militias have quickly escalated into intense fighting between government forces and further Israeli strikes on the Syrian military.
As I said directly to Foreign Minister Shaibani we want to see the fighting ended, civilians protected and the rights of all Syrians upheld.
The violence in Suwayda must be investigated and those responsible held accountable.
We want humanitarian access to be restored, aid delivered and Syria’s sovereignty must be respected.
The UK can be proud of our support to the Syrian people over many, many years.
And a stable Syria matters to the UK’s national interest, for terrorism, for irregular migration, for regional stability.
We must work to prevent extremism, sectarianism or lawlessness taking hold now that Assad is gone.
That’s why we are backing a sustainable ceasefire and that is why we support an inclusive transition.
And that’s why I visited Damascus recently to support and to press the new government to meet its commitments.
I will now turn to the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
It’s two and a half months since Prime Minister Netanyahu restarted offensive operations.
The IDF has driven Palestinians out of 86 per cent of Gaza, leaving around two million people trapped in an area scarcely over twenty square miles.
Whatever this Israeli government might claim, repeated displacement of so many civilians is not keeping them safe. In fact, it’s quite the reverse.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the new Israeli aid system is inhumane, it’s dangerous and it deprives Gazans of human dignity.
It contradicts long-stablished humanitarian principles. It creates disorder Hamas is exploiting with distribution points reduced from 400 to just four.
It forces desperate civilians, children among them, to scramble unsafely for the essentials of life.
It’s a grotesque spectacle, wreaking a terrible human cost.
Almost 1000 civilians have been killed since May seeking aid, including 100 over this weekend alone.
There are near daily reports of Israeli troops opening fire on people trying to access food.
Israeli jets have hit women and children waiting for a health clinic to open.
An Israeli drone has struck down children filling water containers which Israeli officials blamed on a ‘technical error’.
Hamas is contributing to the chaos and taking advantage of it.
I utterly condemn the killing of civilians seeking to meet their most basic needs.
The Israeli government must answer:
What possible military justification can there be for strikes that have killed desperate, starving children?
What immediate actions are they taking to stop this litany of horrors?
What will they do to hold those responsible to account?
Mr Deputy Speaker, I have said before I am a steadfast supporter of Israel’s security and right to exist.
I treasure the many connections between our peoples
And the horrors of October 7th must never be forgotten.
But I firmly believe the Israeli government’s actions are doing untold damage to Israel’s standing in the world and undermining Israel’s long-term security.
Netanyahu should listen to the Israeli people, 82 per cent of whom desperately want a ceasefire.
And to the hostages’ families because they know it offers the best chance to bring their loved ones home.
Those hostages may be hidden in cramped tunnels under the ruins of Gaza but we will not forget them or Hamas’s despicable actions and we will continue to demand their unconditional release.
This offensive puts them in grave danger.
But still Netanyahu persists.
Indeed, Minister Katz has gone further proposing to drive Gaza’s entire population into Rafah, imprisoning Palestinians, unless persuaded to emigrate.
Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a cruel vision which must never come to pass.
I condemn it unequivocally.
Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.
Many Israelis themselves are appalled.
A former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said ‘it marches us into the abyss’. He was right.
Mr Speaker, today I joined a joint statement by 25 Foreign Ministers with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now.
There is no military solution.
Negotiations will secure the hostages.
Further bloodshed serves no purpose.
Hamas and Israel must both commit to a ceasefire now.
And the next ceasefire must be the last ceasefire.
I thank the US, Qatar, and Egypt for their tireless efforts.
And I am sure all Members share my intense frustration it has not happened.
Until there is such a breakthrough, we must keep doing all we can to relieve suffering.
UK aid has saved lives.
Reaching hundreds of thousands with food, water, hygiene, and sanitation, and essential healthcare.
And under the most appalling circumstances our aid is saving lives today.
That includes, the almost nine million pounds the UK has provided to UK-Med, since we entered office,
reaching half a million patients inside Gaza, 24,000 in the past fortnight alone.
Like 3-year old Razan.
UK-funded medics removed a bullet from her neck after nearly three hours of surgery.
These doctors and nurses working in the most extreme conditions are true heroes.
They deserve the thanks and admiration of the entire House.
We are also working, of course, multilaterally.
The 149 trucks from the World Food Programme and UNICEF entering Gaza in recent day included food supplies funded by the UK.
And thousands more trucks laden with aid paid for by British taxpayers can enter, the moment the Israeli government lets it.
Today, I am announcing an extra £40 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza this year, including seven and a half million for UK-Med to sustain their vital operations in Gaza and save more lives.
Mr Deputy Speaker, accompanying the horrors in Gaza, there is an accelerating campaign to prevent a future Palestinian state in the West Bank.
It’s embraced by Netanyahu, it’s encouraged by his Ministers. It’s driven by an extremist ideology which wants to suffocate the two-state solution, the only route to a lasting peace and security.
We see it in the unprecedented pace of settlement expansion.
In the shocking levels of settler violence, even settler terrorism,
for that is what the most egregious ideological attacks are.
And in the deliberate attempts to squeeze the Palestinian Authority, unjustly denying it access to its own funds, and it harms Israel’s long-term interests.
Now, the Israeli government is reintroducing plans to construct new units in the E1 area of occupied east Jerusalem.
If built, this settlement would separate the West Bank’s north from its south and Palestinians in the West Bank from East Jerusalem.
These plans are wholly unacceptable.
They are illegal.
And they must not happen.
Mr Deputy Speaker, we are also striving to keep open the prospects of a two-state solution.
UK assistance has been preserving the Palestinian Authority, contributing to essential Palestinian workers’ salaries and supporting them to progress critical reforms.
Today, I can confirm we are enhancing our support, providing £7 million to strengthen the PA and Palestinian governance, implementing the agreement signed by myself and PM Mustafa earlier this year.
And we’re delivering the reform plans President Abbas has set out.
I can also confirm that we are providing £20 million to support UNRWA’s many services for Palestinian refugees.
And alongside this support, we are leading diplomatic efforts to show there must be a viable peaceful pathway to a Palestinian state, involving the PA, not Hamas, in security and governance of the area.
Hamas can have no role in the governance of Gaza nor use it as a launchpad for terrorism.
Israeli Ministers should support the PA – not actively undermine its economy, as Ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are doing.
The UK is co-leading with Egypt the humanitarian and reconstruction track for the forthcoming Two-State Solution Conference.
And we are pushing to agree plans for a credible next phase in Gaza with a responsible, reformed PA at their core.
So we turn any temporary ceasefire into a lasting peace.
Mr Deputy Speaker, in our year in office, this Labour Government has acted to address this horrendous conflict.
We restored funding to UNRWA, after the Tories froze it.
We suspended arms export licenses, when the Tories declined to act.
We have provided nearly a quarter of a billion in humanitarian assistance, this year and next, getting medical treatment and food to hundreds of thousands of civilians in Gaza.
We have stood with the hostage families at every stage.
We’ve worked with Jordan to fly medicines into Gaza, with Egypt to treat medically evacuated civilians, with Kuwait and UNICEF to help children in Gaza.
We’ve delivered three sanctions packages on violent settlers, suspended trade negotiations with this Israeli government and sanctioned far-right Israeli Ministers for incitement.
We have defended the independence of international courts. We signed a landmark agreement with the Palestinian Authority, and hosted the Palestinian Prime Minister in London, pushing for the reform it needs.
We called for…
worked for…
and voted for…
an immediate ceasefire and the release of the hostages at every possible opportunity.
And we will keep doing so until this war is over, Hamas release the hostages and we finally have a pathway to a two-state solution.
I commend this statement to the House.
But while Lammy spoke, our country continues to supply Israel with weapons being used to slaughter innocent people in the Middle East.
TWO WEEKS? HE COULDN’T WAIT TWO DAYS TO ATTACK IRAN
The United States of America has bombed three nuclear sites in Iran.
The overnight attack by ‘our great American Warriors’ has been welcomed by Israel, who initiated the latest conflict with Iran last week.
US President Trump, without a trace of irony, is now calling for peace!
Also calling for peace, but perhaps with more sincerity, is the United Nations – which has once again been found to be impotent when faced with international agression by major military powers.
United Nations general secretary António Guterres said in a statement: “I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.
“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.
“I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.
“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos.
“There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”
Some US politicians have also expressed concern that Congress was not consulted over the agression.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said on Twitter: “President Trump sending U.S. troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of our Constitution.“
World leaders, including Great Britain, with our so-called ‘special relationship’, will doubtless call for restraint and urge negotiations this morning, but let’s be honest: Trump, and by association Netanyahu, will do exactly what he wants. And who can stop him?
Predictably, the UK did not condemn the actions of the US.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued this short statement: “Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat.
“The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.”
PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER’s WORDS AT KYIV PRESS CONFERENCE
Volodymyr, friends, it is a real pleasure to be here in Kyiv with you all. With Emmanuel, with Friedrich, and with Donald.
This is Europe, stepping up, showing our solidarity with Ukraine, and also showing during this week when we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day that we understand the lessons of history.
The lesson that any veteran of Normandy, of North Africa or any other campaign will tell you but that Putin has not yet grasped:
There is no glory in aggression and conquest – glory comes from fighting for your country, defending your people, and winning the peace.
And that is the message of this moment.
Volodymyr, we stand with you to secure the just and lasting peace that Ukraine deserves.
It’s almost two months now since you agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire. In that time Russia has launched some of the most deadly attacks on civilians of the entire war. Including here in Kyiv.
Normal lives, homes, families destroyed.
This is what Russia offers in place of peace along with delays and smokescreens – like the current 72 hour ceasefire.
And so all of us here – together with the US – are calling Putin out.
If he’s serious about peace then he has a chance to show it now – by extending the VE Day pause into a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire with negotiations to follow immediately, once a ceasefire is agreed.
No more ifs and buts. No more conditions and delays. Putin didn’t need conditions when he wanted a ceasefire to have a parade. And he doesn’t need them now.
Ukraine has shown their willingness to engage again and again. But again and again Putin has refused.
So we are clear – all five leaders here, all the leaders of the meeting we just had with the Coalition of the Willing – an unconditional ceasefire rejecting Putin’s conditions. And clear that if he turns his back on peace, we will respond.
Working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraine’s defence to pressure Russia back to the table.
And that’s what we have been discussing today – as well as securing Ukraine’s future for the longer term.
Convening the latest meeting of the Coalition of the Willing with partners joining virtually from around Europe and across the world – lining up to support Ukraine’s future strength and security, discussing operational plans and making concrete commitments of support across land, air and sea.
We want to help Ukraine look to the future with confidence – so we’re working to boost Ukraine’s economy.
And as a vital step, I’m pleased that UK experts have been on the ground leading work to support the resumption of flights into Ukraine, once a ceasefire is achieved.
It will take time – but this will be a huge moment in reconnecting Ukraine’s economy, boosting investor confidence, and helping to reunite families separated by this war.
Ukraine secure and thriving – that is what we all want to see.
With our 100-year partnership, the Critical Minerals deal with the US, and our Coalition of the Willing, we are building the framework for peace in Ukraine to support a better future for the Ukrainian people.
And to pledge once again, in our all interests, and on this anniversary, that aggression will never prevail on our continent.
The Business and Trade Secretary’s statement to Parliament on the imposition of US tariffs
With your permission Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the United Kingdom’s economic relationship with the United States.
The UK has a strong and balanced trading relationship with the US worth £315 billion which supports 2.5 million jobs across both countries. This is second only to the EU where our trading relationship is worth £791 billion.
Yesterday evening, the United States announced a 10% reciprocal tariff on UK exports and have today imposed a 25% global tariff on cars. This follows the application of tariffs of 25% on US imports of steel, aluminium and derivative products that was announced on 12 March.
No country was able to secure an exemption from these announcements, but the UK did receive the lowest reciprocal tariff rate globally. And though this vindicates the pragmatic approach this Government has taken, we know that while these tariffs are still being levied, the job is far from done.
We are, of course, disappointed by the increase in tariffs on the UK, and on other countries around the world. The impact will be felt amongst all trading nations. But I would like to update the House on how the UK can navigate these turbulent times, acting in our national interest and for the benefit of all our industries.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my American counterparts, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Special Envoy Mark Burnett for their engagement over the last few months. While any imposition of tariffs is deeply regrettable, from the beginning, they promised to make themselves available and have been true to their word, and I look forward to our continued engagement over the days ahead.
As Members will know, since the new US administration took office, my colleagues and I have been engaged in intensive discussions on an economic deal between the US and the UK. One that would not just avoid the imposition of significant tariffs but that would deepen our economic relationship. On everything from defence, economic security, financial services, machinery, tech and regulation there are clear synergies between the US and UK markets. And this is reflected in the fair and balanced trading relationship that already exists between our two countries.
I can confirm to the House that those talks are ongoing and will remain so. It is this Government’s view that a deal is not just possible, it is favourable to both countries. And that this course of action serves Britain’s interests as an open-facing trading nation. I have been in contact with many businesses, across a broad range of sectors including those most affected, who have very much welcomed this approach. It is clear to me that industry themselves want to grasp the opportunity a deal can offer and they welcome this government’s cool-headed approach.
Madam Deputy Speaker, in increasingly insecure times – I have heard some Members cling to the security of simple answers and loud voices. I understand the compulsion, but I caution members of this House to keep calm and remain clear eyed on what is in our national interest not to simply proclaim that we follow the actions of other countries.
The British people rightly expect this Government to keep our country secure at home and strong abroad. An unnecessary, escalating trade war would serve neither purpose.
True strength comes in making the right choices at the right time. And thanks to the actions of our Prime Minister, who has restored Britain’s place on the world stage, the UK is in a unique position to do a deal where we can – and respond when we must.
It remains our belief that the best route to economic stability for working people is a negotiated deal with the US that builds on our shared strengths. However, we do reserve the right to take any action we deem necessary if a deal is not secured.
To enable the UK to have every option open to us in the future, I am today launching a request for input on the implications for British businesses of possible retaliatory action.
This is a formal step, necessary for us to keep all options on the table. We will seek the views of UK stakeholders over four weeks until 1st May 2025 on products that could potentially be included in any UK tariff response. This exercise will also give businesses the chance to have their say, and influence the design of any possible UK response.
If we are in a position to agree an economic deal with the US that lifts the tariffs that have been placed on our industries, this request for input will be paused, and any measures flowing from that, will be lifted.
Further information on the request for input will be published on gov.uk later today, alongside an indicative list of potential products that the Government considers most appropriate for inclusion.
I know this will be an anxious time for all businesses, not just those with direct links to America. Let me say very clearly that we stand ready to support businesses through this. That starts by making sure they have reliable information. Any business which is concerned about what these changes mean for them can find clear guidance and support on great.gov.uk where there is now a bespoke webpage.
Madam Deputy Speaker, this Government was elected to bring security back to working people’s lives. At a time of volatility, businesses and workers alike are looking to the Government to keep our heads, to act in the national interest and navigate Britain through this period. And while some urge escalation, I simply will not play politics with people’s jobs.
This Government will strive for a deal that supports our industries and the well-paid jobs that come with them, while preparing our trade defences and keeping all options on the table.
It is the right approach to defend the UK’s domestic industries from the direct and indirect impacts of US tariffs in a way that is both measured and proportionate, while respecting the rules-based international trading system.
As the world continues to change around us, British workers and businesses can be assured of one constant: that this is a Government that will not be set off course in choppy waters. So the final part of our approach will be to turbo boost the work this government is doing to make our economy stronger and more secure including our new industrial strategy. We will strike trade deals with our partners, and work closely with our allies for our shared prosperity.
We have a clear destination to deliver that economic security for working people.
We are progressing a deal that can do that, we are laying the foundations to move quickly should it not, and we are ensuring British businesses have a clear voice in what happens next. And I commend this statement to the House.
PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT FOLLOWING LEADERS’ MEETING
This morning I convened the largest, strongest group of countries yet behind a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Now a huge amount has happened since I brought leaders together at Lancaster House here in London, just two weeks ago.
President Zelenskyy has shown once again, and beyond any doubt, that Ukraine is the party of peace. Volodymyr has committed to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.
But Putin is trying to delay – saying there must be a painstaking study before a ceasefire can take place.
Well, the world needs action. Not a study, not empty words and conditions.So my message is very clear. Sooner or later, Putin will have to come to the table.
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.
And let’s be clear why this is so important – Russia’s appetite for conflict and chaos undermines our security back here at home.
It drives up the cost of living. It drives up energy costs.
So this matters deeply to the United Kingdom.
That is why now is the time to engage in discussions on a mechanism to manage and monitor a full ceasefire and agree to serious negotiations towards not just a pause but a lasting peace, backed by strong security arrangements through our Coalition of the Willing.
And we won’t sit back and wait for Putin to act.
Instead we will keep pushing forward.
So the group I convened today is more important than ever.
It brings together partners from across Europe as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with backing from others too – including Japan.
We agreed we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine and keep tightening the restrictions on Russia’s economy to weaken Putin’s war machine and bring him to the table.
And we agreed to accelerate our practical work to support a potential deal.
So we will now move into an operational phase.
Our militaries will meet on Thursday this week here in the UK to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine’s future security.
President Trump has offered Putin the way forward to a lasting peace. Now we must make this a reality.
So this is the moment to keep driving towards the outcome we want to see, to end the killing. A just and lasting peace in Ukraine and lasting security for all of us.
Prime Minister Starmer’s statement to the House of Commons: 3 March 2025
Mr. Speaker
Less than a week since I called on this House to show the courage of our predecessors we see clearly before us – the test of our times. A crossroads in our history.
So with permission I will update the House on my efforts to secure a strong, just and lasting peace following Russia’s vile invasion of Ukraine.
Mr. Speaker – it begins in this House where on Tuesday, I announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.
A recognition of the fact that once again, we live in an era where peace in Europe depends upon strength and deterrence.
But also – a rediscovery of the old post-war argument long-held on these benches that economic security is national security.
Because Mr. Speaker, the demands we now have to make of Britain must come alongside a new foundation of security for working people.
The tough choices we made last week, they are not done. We must use the process of getting to 3% of our national income spent on defence to fundamentally rebuild British industry.
Use our investment in military spending to create new jobs and apprenticeships in every part of our country.
And that’s why, last night, I announced a deal that perfectly symbolises this new era.
A partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use £1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles, manufactured in Belfast. That means UK jobs, UK skills, UK finance , pulling together for our national interest.
Putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace and protecting innocent civilians from the terror of Russian drones.
Mr. Speaker, my efforts continued on Thursday when I met President Trump in the White House to strengthen our relationship with America.
Now, what happened in his subsequent meeting with President Zelenskyy is something nobody in this House wants to see.
But I do want to be crystal clear: we must strengthen our relationship with America for our security, for our technology, for our trade and investment. They are and always will be – indispensable.
And we will never choose between either side of the Atlantic. In fact, Mr. Speaker, if anything, the past week has shown that that idea to be totally unserious. Because while some people may enjoy the simplicity of taking a side, this week has shown with total clarity that the US is vital in securing the peace we all want to see in Ukraine.
So I welcome the opportunity for a new economic deal with the US, confirmed by the President last week, because it is an opportunity I am determined to pursue.
I welcome the positive discussions we had on European security, including his clear support for Article 5 of NATO. I welcome the understanding, from our dialogue that our two nations will work together on security arrangements for a lasting peace in Ukraine.
And I also welcome the President’s continued commitment to that peace which nobody in this House should doubt for a second – is sincere.
Mr. Speaker, I now turn to events this weekend and the moving scenes that greeted President Zelenskyy as he arrived in London on Saturday.
Mr. Speaker I saw for myself that he was taken aback when the crowd in Whitehall cheered at the top of their voices, and they were speaking for the whole of our country.
A reminder – that this Government, this House and this nation stand in unwavering support behind him and the people of Ukraine.
Mr. Speaker, we resolved together to move forward the strong cause of just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
And then on Sunday I hosted European leaders from across our continent, equally committed to this cause including President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, the leaders of NATO, the European Commission and Council and the Prime Minister of Canada, a vital ally of this country, the Commonwealth and Ukraine responsible for training over 40,000 Ukrainian troops.
I also had the privilege beforehand of speaking online to the leaders of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia – each of whom, as close as they are to the frontline with Russia, stressed the urgency of the moment.
And Mr. Speaker, it was a productive summit. Together, we agreed a clear strategy. That the United Kingdom, France and our allies will work closely with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, which we will then discuss directly with the United States.
It is a plan that has four clear principles, which I will now share in full with the House:
First, that we must keep the military aid to Ukraine flowing, keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia. And to that end, alongside our partnership on air defence we are doubling-down on military aid.
Already this year we have taken our support to record levels but on Saturday we also agreed a new £2.2 billion loan for Ukraine backed, not by the British taxpayer but by the profits from frozen Russian assets.
Second, we agreed that any lasting peace must guarantee the sovereignty and security of Ukraine. And that Ukraine must be at the table when negotiating their future. That is absolutely vital.
Third, we agreed that in the event of a peace deal we will continue to boost Ukraine’s defences and Ukraine’s deterrence.
And finally, fourth.we agreed to develop a “coalition of the willing” ready to defend a deal in Ukraine and guarantee the peace.
After all, the Ukrainian position is completely understandable. For them, the war did not begin three years ago. That was merely the latest and most brutal escalation.
They have signed agreements with Putin, before. They have experienced the nature of his diplomacy and the calibre of his word.
We can’t accept a weak deal like Minsk again, No, we must proceed with strength and that does now require – urgently – a coalition of the willing.
Mr. Speaker – we agreed on Sunday that those willing to play a role in this will intensify planning now. And as this House would expect Britain will play a leading role. With, if necessary and together with others, boots on the ground and planes in the air.
Mr. Speaker, it is right that Europe do the heavy lifting to support peace on our continent. But to succeed, this effort must also have strong US backing.
I want to assure the House I take none of this lightly. I visited British troops in Estonia and no aspect of my role weighs more heavily than the deployment of British troops in the service of the defence and security in Europe.
And yet I do feel very strongly that the future of Ukraine is vital for our national security.
Russia is a menace in our waters and skies, They have launched cyber-attacks on our NHS, assassination attempts in our streets.
In this House, we stand by Ukraine because it is the right thing to do but we also stand by them because it is in our interest to do so. Because if we do not achieve a lasting peace then the instability and insecurity that has hit the living standards of working people in Britain that will only get worse.
And Putin’s appetite for conflict and chaos that will only grow.
So a strong peace, a just peace, a lasting peace, that has now to be our goal.
It is vital, it is in our interest and its pursuit – Britain will lead from the front.
For the security of our continent, the security of our country and the security of the British people we must now win the peace.
And I commend this statement to the House.
UPDATE
Stakes have been raised since Starmer’s announcement to Westminster yesterday. A spokesman for the Trump government announced overnight that the USA is is to ‘pause’ military aid to Ukraine.
Trump’s USA is by far the biggest contributor to Ukraine’s military effort and this latest statement of American intent, if carried out, deals a grevious blow to Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian invaders.
Europe’s ‘coalition of the willing’ may have to come up with a revised plan – and quickly.
