Zelensky meets Starmer as allies plan Russia sanctions boost

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, left, met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Number 10 ( Stefan Rousseau/PA) Stefan Rousseau

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Downing Street on Friday for crucial discussions on Ukraine's defence capabilities. The bilateral meeting preceded broader international talks where Starmer will urge allies to significantly increase Ukraine's supply of long-range weapons to strike back at Russia.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Dutch Premier Dick Schoof and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte arrived in London for the in-person discussions. Around 20 other world leaders joined by video call as part of the "coalition of the willing" initiative, which is led jointly by Starmer and France's Emmanuel Macron.

Economic pressure on Moscow

The coalition is considering several robust measures to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin's war effort. Key proposals include further efforts to cripple Russia's economy by removing Russian oil and gas from global markets entirely.

Leaders are also exploring innovative ways to use frozen Russian assets to directly fund Ukraine's defensive capabilities. These financial measures represent a significant escalation in economic warfare against Moscow's military operations.

Progress and continued challenges

Starmer acknowledged that substantial progress has been made this week in supporting Kyiv, but emphasised significant gaps remain in long-range military capability. The Prime Minister directly addressed the contrasting approaches between Ukraine and Russia during his remarks to Zelensky.

"Whilst you have signalled the path for a way forward and shown that willingness of courage and determination, what we see from Putin is an absolute unwillingness to engage, in fact, the opposite, which is the continued attacks increasingly on civilians and on children, and sadly I have to offer you my condolences again, as I did the last time we met and the time before, for those terrible losses," Starmer stated.

Strategic capabilities focus

The Prime Minister expressed optimism about targeting Russian energy exports while highlighting remaining priorities. "I do think that this week we can really bear down on Russian oil and gas. Huge steps forward this week already," he said.

Starmer emphasised that additional work remains crucial on capability enhancement, particularly regarding long-range weapons systems. He also stressed the vital importance of the coalition's work on providing security guarantees that Ukraine requires for its long-term defence strategy.

Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).