British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that the United States of America must provide a ‘backstop’ to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again.
The British leader made this known after an emergency meeting by European leaders in Paris, France, on Monday.
“At stake is not just the future of Ukraine; it is an existential question for Europe as a whole,” the UK leader said.
He added that this is a “once-in-a-generation moment of collective security for our continent.”
“Only a lasting peace in Ukraine that safeguards its sovereignty will deter Putin from further aggression,” he said.
Speaking further, Starmer urged the Trump administration to provide a “backstop” to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again.
Trump had recently asked Europe to step up, and the prime minister said the statement “should not come as a surprise.”
He said that “Europeans will have to step up, both in terms of spending and the capabilities that we provide to Ukraine.”
As this was going on in Paris, Trump and Putin were putting their heads together in Saudi Arabia to find a favorable path to ending the almost three-year war in Ukraine.
High-profile delegates from the US and Russia are converging in Saudi Arabia for a meeting that will commence on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has declared that he would not accept the outcome of any peace deal reached in his absence. He also has the backing of European leaders on this.
