LONDON (AP) 鈥 U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told global leaders to 鈥渒eep the pressure鈥 on Russian President Vladimir Putin to back a ceasefire in Ukraine.
In his opening remarks Saturday to a virtual gathering of what he has termed the 鈥渃oalition of the willing,鈥 Starmer said Putin will 鈥渟ooner or later鈥 have to 鈥渃ome to the table.鈥
Unlike the first , the meeting of what Starmer has termed the 鈥渃oalition of the willing鈥 is being conducted virtually. The call is expected to delve into how countries can help Ukraine militarily and financially as well as gauging support for any future possible peacekeeping mission in the event Putin backs a cessation of hostilities.
鈥淢y feeling is that sooner or later he's going to have to come to the table and engage in serious discussion, but 鈥 this is a big but for us this morning in our meeting 鈥 we can鈥檛 sit back and simply wait for that to happen," Starmer told leaders while sitting in front of a screen in an office in 10, Downing Street.
鈥淚 think that means strengthening Ukraine so they can defend themselves, and strengthening, obviously, in terms of military capability, in terms of funding, in terms of the provision of further support from all of us to Ukraine.鈥
Around 25 countries are expected to be involved in the call, including European partners, and Ukraine. Leaders from Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as officials from NATO and the European Union鈥檚 executive, are also set to take part. The United States is not represented at the meeting.
Saturday鈥檚 meeting takes place in the wake of a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, which Ukrainian has backed.
Like the last meeting of the 鈥渃oalition of the willing,鈥 there is no representative from the United States, which has shifted its approach on the war since the return of to the White House. The change of approach relative to that taken by Trump鈥檚 predecessor, Joe Biden, became particularly notable after Zelenskyy on Feb. 28 in the Oval Office.
Putin has indicated that he but has set out a host of details that need to be clarified before agreeing to a ceasefire. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has voiced 鈥渃autious optimism鈥 about the possibility of Putin, who met with on Thursday, backing a ceasefire.
Starmer appears to be less optimistic, and is telling leaders that concrete commitments are required now as Putin plays 鈥減ointless games鈥 with Trump鈥檚 peace plan.
Starmer has taken the lead, along with , in assembling the 鈥渃oalition of the willing,鈥 in part to persuade Trump to maintain support for Kyiv. One outcome has already been a growing acceptance from European countries in particular that they need to do more to ensure their own security, including by increasing their defense spending.
Images from the Elysee showed Macron and his aides listening to Starmer's opening statement in a room of the French presidential palace.
Ukraine, on parts of the front line three years after Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion, has already endorsed the truce proposal. Russia鈥檚 army , and analysts say Putin likely will be reluctant to rush into a ceasefire while he feels he has an advantage.
