The Prime Minister has said the UK and Europe are facing a “generational challenge” and “need to do more” after he revealed he was willing to put a peacekeeping force into Ukraine.
Sir Keir Starmer said his message to European counterparts when he meets them in Paris for emergency talks will be that “we’ve all got to step up across Europe”.
The meeting comes as European leaders scramble for a strategy in response to US President Donald Trump’s push for a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and amid fears the US will reduce its defence commitments in the continent.
Germany, the Netherlands and Poland are among the nations expected to be represented at Monday afternoon’s meeting.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio is leading a delegation to Saudi Arabia for talks with Russian officials that will look to seek an end to the fighting.
Ukraine has not been invited to the talks and will not accept the outcome if Kyiv is not involved, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday.
Mr Zelensky said he was travelling to Saudi Arabia this week but that the visit was unrelated to the planned talks.
“We’re facing a generational challenge when it comes to national security,” Sir Keir told reporters in Bristol.
“Obviously, the immediate question is the future of Ukraine, and we must continue to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position whatever happens next, and to make sure that if there is peace, and we all want peace, that it is lasting.”
Sir Keir, who is due to visit Mr Trump in Washington DC later this month, said the US wants to achieve “lasting peace” in Ukraine which “aligns precisely” with the UK and EU position.
“I think what the US wants to achieve is lasting peace in Ukraine that aligns precisely with what we want in the United Kingdom, what Ukraine wants and what our European allies want,” he said.
The US stance on Ukraine demands for Europe to do more to pay for and provide its own security and increases pressure for greater defence spending across the continent.
Sir Keir said his message to European counterparts would be to “step up” and that it was important to have “realistic and credible answers” for how to make any peace agreement last.
“I think that we need to do more. We need to step up in terms of our collective response in Europe, and by that I mean capability. By that, I mean playing our full part when it comes to the defence of the sovereignty of Ukraine if there’s a peace agreement, and, of course, when it comes to funding and training.
“So, on all those fronts, I want the UK and all European allies to step up, and for the UK to play a leading part in that.”
Sir Keir is unlikely to go beyond his commitment to set out a plan to increase defence spending to a 2.5% share of the economy, despite calls from Mr Trump to hike spending to 5% and Nato chief Mark Rutte’s suggestion allies should spend more than 3%.
The UK currently spends around 2.3% of gross national product on defence.
Former army chief Lord Richard Dannatt has warned that the UK lacks forces and equipment and that putting boots on the ground in Ukraine would come at a “considerable cost”.
The meeting in Paris called by French President Emmanuel Macron will see Sir Keir joined by leaders from Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark along with the presidents of the European Council and European Commission and the secretary-general of Nato.
Representatives of the US administration and Russian counterparts are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia for talks following Mr Trump’s direct phone conversation with Mr Putin on Wednesday.
But Ukrainian officials are not expected to be at the table at this stage, while other European leaders might not be involved in the process at all.
Asked how high the stakes will be at the emergency talks in Paris with European leaders on Ukraine, Sir Keir said it was “very important” to try to move forward after three years of conflict.
“But until we get a peace agreement, we must ensure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen next and we need to have realistic and credible answers to how any ceasefire, how any peace agreement, will be lasting, just and enduring, because the last thing I want to see is a pause in the fighting that simply gives Putin the chance to come again, which is why it’s very important that we have these discussions.”
Sir Keir has previously only hinted that British troops could be involved in safeguarding Ukraine after a ceasefire, but in an explicit message aimed at encouraging both European allies and Mr Trump to commit to deterring a future attack he confirmed he could deploy the military.
He said the UK was ready to play a “leading role” in Ukraine’s defence and contribute to security guarantees “by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary”, in an article for The Telegraph.
He also restated his position that Ukraine’s path to Nato membership is “irreversible” and that Ukraine must be at the table in peace negotiations.
Before his trip to Paris, Sir Keir spoke to the prime minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Store.
A Downing Street spokesperson said that during the call the Prime Minister set out “his aims for the informal meeting of European leaders taking place later today in Paris to discuss the situation in Ukraine”.
The spokesperson added: “Ensuring Ukraine is in the strongest possible position is paramount, and they both agreed that all international leaders must come together to ensure Euro-Atlantic security.
“The Prime Minister reiterated that this is a once-in-a-generation moment for our national security and there could be no talks about Ukraine without Ukraine.”
