Keir Starmer said Russia must come to the table now as he prepared to host some 25 countries for talks on building a 'coalition of the willing' to defend peace in Ukraine

The Prime Minister will host a virtual 'coalition of the willing' summit as pressure mounts on Russia to agree to a ceasefire.

Sir Keir Starmer will host further talks on a peacekeeping force for Ukraine on Saturday after warning Vladimir Putin not to play games with a proposed ceasefire. The Prime Minister is expected to hold a video call with as many as 25 potential members of the “coalition of the willing”, nations that could take part in any peacekeeping operation.

Ukraine must be given security guarantees to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin does not break a potential peace agreement, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, according to The Guardian. Starmer noted he was "not entirely surprised" by Russia’s negative reaction to the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin’s top diplomat has indirectly dismissed Keir Starmer’s idea to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov attacked European leaders who are still supporting Ukraine three years after Putin launched his brutal invasion.

In a world teetering on the edge of uncertainty, Sir Keir Starmer's stark warning about Vladimir Putin's grip on Europe sends shivers down the spine.

Sir Keir Starmer’s comments came as diplomatic efforts continued to find an end to the war triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.