British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the need to intensify international pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin due to the growing scale of aggression against Ukraine. He made this statement during a joint press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in London.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Increase in Attacks and New Targets of Russia
According to Keir Starmer, in recent weeks, Russian forces have struck targets that were previously considered untouchable. Among them are the British Council building in Kyiv, the European Union embassy, and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The British Prime Minister also pointed out the incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, indicating an expansion of the danger zone for Ukraine’s allied countries.
“We must increase pressure on Putin, and only when President (Trump – ed.) pressed Putin did he show any willingness to move. So we need to maintain this pressure. I think it is important to have this conversation in the context of recent events. We have seen damage and bombings of the British Council in Kyiv,” said Starmer.
International Leadership and Trump’s Position
Starmer noted that recent events demonstrate an increase in Putin’s recklessness rather than his desire for peace. The Prime Minister reported that the United Kingdom, along with France, has formed a “coalition of the willing” that has taken on military planning at sea, in the air, and on land to support Ukraine. Thanks to joint actions with the American side, Europe, according to Starmer, has been able to rise to the occasion, demonstrate leadership, and show readiness for decisive action.
During the press conference, Donald Trump shared his expectations regarding the end of the war between Russia and Ukraine, noting that he hoped to achieve peace quickly through personal relations with Putin. At the same time, he expressed disappointment with the actions of the Russian president.
“He (Putin – ed.) really let me down. He is killing a lot of people and losing more people than he kills,” Trump stated.
Trump also expressed hope that positive news regarding the situation around Russia would emerge soon.
On September 18, Donald Trump visited Keir Starmer’s country estate near London. The day before, the British royal family held an official banquet in honor of Trump and his wife Melania at Windsor Castle. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s international partners are actively working to maintain U.S. support for Ukraine in its confrontation with the aggression of the Russian Federation.