'Putin's Games': Starmer Calls International Meeting on Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Hold Virtual Meeting of 'Coalition of the Willing' to Help Ukraine Maintain Peace

On Saturday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hold a virtual meeting of the 'coalition of the willing' - a group of countries that have agreed to help maintain peace in Ukraine. He will attempt to apply pressure on Russian President Putin to 'finally come to the negotiating table' after Kyiv agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire this week.

This was reported by The Guardian.

The virtual meeting is expected to involve European countries, the EU Commission, NATO, Canada, Ukraine, Australia, and New Zealand, who will provide information on the assistance they can offer in ensuring a peace agreement.

Downing Street has refused to disclose what specific goals the Prime Minister hopes to achieve as a result of Saturday morning's meeting, stating that it is a 'rapidly evolving situation' with many countries involved.

It has been reported that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni may not attend the meeting due to concerns over Anglo-French plans aimed at securing a long-term peace agreement.

Starmer is also expected to outline to the attending leaders details of a plan developed by him and French President Emmanuel Macron following the failed meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump at the White House two weeks ago. Starmer and Macron spoke face to face on Friday evening ahead of the summit, Downing Street reported.

In comments published by Downing Street before the summit began, Starmer criticized Putin for what he described as 'empty words and nonsensical conditions'. 'We cannot allow President Putin to play games with President Trump's agreement. The complete disregard of the Kremlin for President Trump's ceasefire proposal only shows that Putin is not serious about peace,' Starmer said.

'If Russia finally comes to the negotiating table, we must be ready to monitor the ceasefire to ensure that it is a serious and durable peace; if not, we must exert all efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end,' he stated.

'Putin is trying to drag this out, saying that a thorough examination must be conducted before a ceasefire can be possible, but the world needs action, not examinations or empty words and nonsensical conditions,' Starmer added.

Downing Street reported that proposals for assistance in achieving a peace agreement have come from 25 countries and cover a 'spectrum of support', ranging from troop deployments to much more limited assistance; however, there is no clear information regarding the agenda of Saturday's summit.

It has also become known about an urgent visit to the White House: why European security advisors unexpectedly flew to the USA.