Starmer announces additional £1.6bn package for Ukraine

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a £1.6 billion finance deal which will allow Ukraine to buy more than 5,000 missiles, following a summit of European leaders in London.

He had earlier opened the summit by saying a good outcome for Ukraine is vital for the security of every nation represented there, reports The Guardian. 

Leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte, gathered at Lancaster House in London on Sunday to forge a common position on ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. 

On top of the £2.2bn loan announced on Saturday, Starmer now added another £1.6bn in UK export finance allowing Ukraine "to buy more than 5,000 air defence missiles, which will be made in Belfast, creating jobs in our brilliant defence sector".

"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. We cannot accept a weak deal like Minsk, which Russia can breach with ease," he said.

Opening the summit, the UK prime minister – flanked by France's Macron and Ukraine's Zelenskyy – highlighted last night's warm reception for the Ukrainian president as he arrived with a group of supporters cheering him on the street outside.

"We are all with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it takes," he said. 

But he warned that "this is a once in a generation moment for the security of Europe", as he said that "getting a good outcome for Ukraine is not just a matter of right or wrong; it's vital for security of every nation here and many others too."

He added that he spoke with the Baltic nations earlier, as they are "obviously part of our discussion" too.

Starmer said that he intends to work on a plan for Ukraine to "then discuss that with the US and take it forward together".

Today's talks focus on "how we can deliver just, enduring peace together", he said, and how to support Ukraine "because even while Russia talks about peace, they are continuing their relentless aggression".

Starmer said that any final deal "will have to involve Russia", but it should not dictate the guarantees that can be offered to Ukraine given the history of Russian breaches in the past.

"That is precisely the situation that I think we need to avoid this time around, which is why we're going down this road," he said.

Asked about the US response to what he is proposing, Starmer hinted that he discussed this with US President Donald Trump in their phone call last night.

He said, "Look, I spoke to President Trump last night. I'm not going to go through the details of that conversation, but I would not be taking this step down this road if I didn't think it was something that would yield a positive outcome in terms of ensuring that we move together – Ukraine, Europe, the UK and the US – together towards a lasting peace."

'Multiple countries interested in joining mission in Ukraine'

Starmer said "a number of countries" indicates they were willing to join the coalition of willing, but says it is up to them to announce that.

He said he accepts "the position of other countries that may not feel that they want to contribute in that way," but he believes it is necessary to "move forward" and "get some momentum" for peace talks.

Guarantees needed to avoid further conflict, Starmer says

Starmer also was asked if he can rule out a conflict between the UK and Russia.

He said that the whole point of the guarantee he is assembling for Ukraine is to guarantee peace and avoid further conflict.

"I do not want conflict in Ukraine, in Europe, and certainly not in the United Kingdom. I want stability in the United Kingdom. The way to ensure that stability is to ensure that we are able to defend a deal in Ukraine, because the one thing our history tells us is that if there is conflict in Europe, it will wash up on our shores."

US not unreliable ally, Starmer insists

Starmer rejected a suggestion that US is now an "unreliable ally" and said that it has been a "reliable ally for many, many decades, and continues to be".

He said the talks today were on the basis that Europe will work together with the US.

Leaders to meet again soon as 'time to act', Starmer says

"We agreed that leaders will meet again very soon to keep the pace behind these actions and to keep working towards this shared plan. 

We are at a crossroads in history today. 

This is not a moment for more talk. It's time to act," he said.