Keir Starmer Contradicts Donald Trump Over Ukraine Peace Plan

Prime Minister Keir StarmerKeir Starmer has contradicted Donald Trump over his Ukraine peace plan by insisting Kyiv must lead the talks.The prime minister insisted the “courageous” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not to blame for the delays to any ceasefire deal, and that Russia needs to negotiate.While he did not mention Trump directly, Starmer’s words come after the US president has repeatedly accused Zelenskyy of blocking a potential truce.The PM also refused to support America’s proposal for Ukraine to formally cede its occupied territory of Crimea to Russia in exchange for peace.“We are at an intense stage in the negotiations,” Starmer told The Telegraph.“In the end, I’m always mindful of the fact that it is Ukraine that must decide on those issues – it’s not for other people to decide on behalf of Ukraine. It is for Ukraine to decide. And Russia must come to the table for that unconditional ceasefire.”While Trump did issue a rare statement of condemnation towards Putin for his bombardment of Ukraine last night – writing “Vladimir, STOP” after yet another deadly assault on Kyiv – he has stopped short of holding Russia responsible for its invasion.Earlier this week, Trump slammed Ukraine’s refusal to give up Crimea, writing on social media: “The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!”But when asked if Zelenskyy was responsible for the delays by The Telegraph, Starmer said: “No. Russia is the aggressor. Never forget that Zelenskyy was offered safe passage out of his country in the first week of the conflict.“At that point, everybody thought that Russia would succeed very quickly in its intent of taking over Ukraine.“And he stayed to fight and to lead his country, which he’s done with huge courage and resilience for over three years, as has his whole country.“It’s Russia that needs to come to the table and agree to a ceasefire.”Pressed over America’s plan to surrender Crimea, Starmer also said: “That’s not for me to say. That is part of the discussions.”The prime minister suggested that a truce could be secured by the summer.“It’s got to be a ceasefire that is on terms that all parties can accept, including Ukraine, and it’s got to be a lasting ceasefire,” he said.“What I don’t want to see is a ceasefire that is temporary, because I am as convinced as I can be that that will simply leave Russia with the capability and wherewithal to come again at some future time. They’ve done it before, I’ve no doubt that they will do it again.”The PM once again called for US security guarantees to back up his “coalition of the willing”, the group of allied countries who want to support Ukraine after a peace deal – although the White House has refused to make any commitments yet.But the prime minister walked on a diplomatic tightrope during the interview by refusing to criticise the US directly.He said: “There are plenty of people urging that we should go in a Europe-only direction rather than a Europe and America together direction. I just think that’s wrong in principle, on Ukraine and more generally.”Related...Kremlin Lavishes Even More Praise On Trump Hours After He Called For Putin To Stop Ukraine AttacksTrump Called Out For 'Weak And Petulant' Attempt To Scold Putin Over Latest Ukraine StrikesTrump Says Russia's Concession In Ukraine Talks Is To Not Take 'The Whole Country'

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