U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged that Britain will take a leading role in enforcing any future peace agreement in Ukraine, unveiling a new military and financial aid package following a high-level defense summit in London.
“The first priority of this government, of any government, is the security and safety of the British people to defend the national interest, particularly in these volatile times,” Starmer said.
The prime minister described the meeting as an effort “to unite our partners around this effort to strengthen Ukraine, and to support a just and enduring peace for the good of all of us.” Stressing that Kyiv must negotiate from a position of strength, he pledged to “double down” on military assistance.
“The starting point must be to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position now so that they can negotiate from a position of strength,” he said.
Starmer announced an additional £1.6 billion in U.K. export financing, on top of a previously pledged £2.2 billion loan. The funds will allow Ukraine to purchase more than 5,000 air defense missiles made in Belfast, a move he said would also support British manufacturing. “This will create jobs in our brilliant defense sector,” he said.
He confirmed that European leaders had agreed to maintain military aid to Ukraine while increasing economic pressure on Russia. Any peace negotiations, he insisted, must include Kyiv at the table.
Starmer says UK “prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others.”
PM Keir Starmer
Starmer also outlined plans to form what he called “a coalition of the willing” to enforce any future agreement, with the U.K. taking a central role.
“We will go further, develop a coalition of the willing to defend a deal in Ukraine and to guarantee the peace,” he said. Acknowledging that some nations may be hesitant to commit, he added, “That can’t mean that we sit back.”
Instead, Starmer said, those willing to act “will intensify planning now with real urgency.” The U.K., he emphasized, was “prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others.”
Arguing that Ukraine’s long-term security is paramount, he warned against repeating past diplomatic failures.
“This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now and strengthening Ukraine in securing the peace when it comes,” he said. “We have to learn from the mistakes of the past. We cannot accept a weak deal like Minsk, which Russia can breach with ease.”
His remarks signal Britain’s intent to play a greater role in shaping Ukraine’s future, even as questions loom over continued U.S. support.
President Donald Trump has yet to comment on the U.K.’s plan, following a breakdown in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday. The meeting, which was intended to discuss a minerals deal, ended abruptly after a heated exchange between the two leaders.
Trump criticized Zelenskyy’s attitude and what he saw as a lack of gratitude for U.S. support. Zelenskyy, in turn, defended Ukraine’s position, emphasizing the importance of security guarantees.
The fallout has raised concerns about the future of U.S. involvement in Ukraine, leaving Kyiv looking toward European allies for stronger backing.
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