UK PM Starmer says sanctions on Russia should increase, not weaken

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “playing games and playing for time” in peace talks with Ukraine. Speaking in Paris on 27 March, Starmer criticized Putin’s demand for sanctions relief before implementing a US-brokered maritime ceasefire.

This comes as Washington confirmed earlier in the week that Ukrainian and Russian officials had allegedly agreed to a Black Sea ceasefire following negotiations in Saudi Arabia amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. But the Kremlin quickly pushed back, saying the agreement would remain on hold unless Western sanctions were rolled back. Moscow’s demands include restoring Russian banks’ access to the Swift system, lifting restrictions on Russian-flagged vessels, and removing sanctions on agricultural equipment and goods tied to food production.

According to BBC, Starmer stated:

“Now is not the time for pulling back or weakening sanctions – now is the time to increase sanctions to get them to the table.“

Starmer attended the “coalition of the willing” summit with European leaders, discussing possible peacekeeper deployments if a peace deal is achieved. He said a framework and deadline were needed for peace negotiations and called for stronger economic pressure on Moscow. He noted that the political momentum for peace was “stronger and broader” than ever.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that European countries had “unanimously agreed” not to lift sanctions on Russia.

“The time is not ripe to lift sanctions… We need to keep economic pressure up,” Macron said.

The French President warned that if a European force in Ukraine was attacked, it would respond.

Starmer confirmed the UK would chair the next Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, aimed at delivering more military aid. He said UK, French, and German defense chiefs would meet in Ukraine, without specifying a date.

Zelenskyy, who met with Starmer, said, “Russia doesn’t want any kind of peace” and is “dragging out the war.” He added that security guarantees would be discussed in the coming days.

BBC notes that while the UK and France lead efforts to send troops to Ukraine in case of a ceasefire, many countries are cautious. Finland and Poland want to keep forces near their own borders. Italy opposes the Franco-British plan and instead supports deploying troops under a United Nations mandate.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!