Keir Starmer’s Efforts for Peace in Ukraine
Keir Starmer is set to engage with the UK’s Middle Eastern allies in a bid to assemble a “coalition of the willing” aimed at restoring peace in Ukraine. This initiative comes as part of his broader strategy to establish a comprehensive peacekeeping force on the ground. Starmer’s outreach will extend beyond Europe, targeting countries in the Middle East to garner support.
Alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Starmer is spearheading efforts to formulate a peace plan that could gain acceptance from both Russia and Ukraine, as well as garnering the support of Donald Trump in the United States. While Downing Street has refrained from disclosing specific nations that will be approached, the UK and US maintain several allies in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Bahrain, who may be called upon to contribute to the peace initiative.
The i Paper has reported that the UK and France are keen to devise a feasible peace plan that can be presented to all involved parties within a matter of weeks. This urgency reflects the heightened diplomatic activity following the recent meeting in the Oval Office between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Starmer and Macron assumed leadership of the peace initiative during a summit of European and NATO allies held in London on Sunday. In a statement to Members of Parliament (MPs) on Monday after the Lancaster House gathering, Starmer emphasized that it would be “utter folly” for the UK to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine without a solid security guarantee from the United States. He further remarked that the existing minerals deal, which has yet to be finalized between Washington and Kyiv, would not suffice to ensure lasting peace in the region.
Defence Secretary John Healey is scheduled to meet with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth later this week to discuss the crisis, with the UK reportedly eager to advocate for the necessary security backstop.
The magnitude of Starmer’s mission to “win the peace” was underscored when Trump publicly criticized Zelensky, asserting on his Truth Social account that the US would not “put up with” Ukraine’s president for much longer. Trump’s comments also raised questions regarding Starmer’s summit, particularly in light of a statement indicating that a peace agreement relied heavily on American support.
Trump remarked, “Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly they could not do the job without the US. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What were they thinking?”
Despite this criticism, Starmer is believed to view Trump as potentially supportive of his endeavors to establish a Europe-led peace deal. A senior government source indicated that the Prime Minister had engaged in positive discussions with Trump prior to the announcement of the coalition.
Both Saudi Arabia and Jordan are not only steadfast allies of the UK but also have established connections with Moscow. Their participation in a peacekeeping force could be instrumental in securing approval from Vladimir Putin’s government, which has previously expressed opposition to a European-only force.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman significantly contributed to the initiation of a peace process by hosting talks between US and Russian foreign ministers in his country last month, even though Ukraine was notably absent from these discussions.
In the House of Commons, Conservative MP and former security minister Tom Tugendhat questioned Starmer about expanding the coalition beyond Europe, highlighting Australia’s donation of Bushmasters (armoured vehicles) and concerns regarding Iran’s support for Russia through its Shahed drone program. Tugendhat inquired whether Starmer was reaching out to Middle Eastern allies as well.
Starmer affirmed, “On his important question about reaching out beyond Europe, I agree with him. We are doing that. This needs to be as broad a coalition as we can put together, with different capabilities, each country making whichever contribution is the most significant from their point of view.”
The Prime Minister also suggested that the House of Commons might not have a meaningful vote regarding the deployment of British peacekeepers to Ukraine. In response to former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s inquiry about parliamentary input, Starmer stated that there would be “a discussion of any guarantees and the right to express its view, and I will ensure that it happens,” stopping short of guaranteeing a binding vote.
Starmer’s official spokesperson underscored the urgency of the situation, stating, “We obviously do want to make progress as quickly as possible. The statement released at the end of yesterday’s summit indicated that we will continue to work closely together to drive forward next steps, and we will take decisions in the coming weeks. There will also be a significant number of discussions ahead of that.”
These upcoming discussions are expected to occur “at pace” and with “momentum.”
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Downing Street has also played down French proposals for a one-month truce in Ukraine. When asked by Reform leader Nigel Farage whether the minerals deal – when and if it is finalized – could serve as adequate security assurance, Starmer clarified, “The minerals deal is not enough on its own.” He commented on Trump’s commitment to peace being “sincere,” asserting that a security guarantee should be spearheaded by Europe but would still require US backing. He emphasized the need for Britain to “lead from the front,” stating that the European “coalition of the willing” has been established to avoid progress that is “at the speed of the most reluctant, which would be too slow.” He cautioned against agreeing to a “weak deal.”
