Key points
- Starmer announces £1.6bn missile deal for Ukraine
- Ukraine must be able to negotiate peace from a position of strength: Starmer
- Deal will allow Kyiv to use £1.6bn of export finance to buy missiles
ISLAMABAD: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a £1.6bn missile deal for Ukraine, following a summit of European leaders in London.
The deal will allow Kyiv to use £1.6bn of export finance to buy more than 5,000 air defence missiles, which will be made in Belfast, BBC reported.
According to Reuters, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said Thales will manufacture the lightweight-multirole missiles for Ukraine.
Premier Keir said: “This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now, and strengthen Ukraine in securing the peace when it comes, because we have to learn from the mistakes of the past.”
The prime minister said Ukraine must be able to negotiate peace from a position of strength, and the advanced air defence missiles would enable that.
“Coalition of the willing”
BBC reported that the prime minister also announced “a number” of allies had signed up to a “coalition of the willing”, alongside France’s President Emmanuel Macron, prepared to commit troops to the Ukrainian frontline in the event of a peace deal.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky also attended the meeting, where 17 European leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed next steps in securing peace for Ukraine, according to BBC.
The Lancaster House summit in London comes after a televised press conference from the White House, where President Trump told President Zelensky he was not grateful enough for US support.
“My support for Ukraine is unwavering,” said Keir, saying he felt a personal responsibility to end Russia’s illegal war and guarantee Ukraine “a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security”.
“By doubling down on our support, working closely with key partners, and ensuring Ukraine has a strong voice at the table, I believe we can achieve a strong, lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace in Ukraine.”
“Critical moment”
Keir will now discuss his four-step plan with Trump, aiming to persuade the US leader to provide a security guarantee for Ukraine.
The prime minister said: “Together with others, Europe must do the heavy-lifting but to support peace in our continent and to succeed, this effort must have strong US backing. We’re working with the US on this point.”
Speaking to journalists after the summit, the Prime Minister said he did “not accept that the US is an unreliable ally”, and that the discussions formed a plan that would see the US as allies.
The UK is at a “critical moment” for the future of Ukraine and the security of us all in Europe, Defence Secretary John Healey said.
He said: “This new support will help protect Ukraine against drone and missile attacks but it will also help deter further Russian aggression following any end to the fighting.
