South Africa (Parliament Politics Magazine) – British PM Sir Keir Starmer says more work is needed for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, with progress ongoing and Kyiv leading key decisions.
As reported by Reuters, Sir Keir Starmer said Monday that efforts continue to secure a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, though progress is underway.
What did Keir Starmer say on achieving about the progress toward peace in Ukraine?
Sir Keir Starmer confirmed that the coalition of the willing will hold a virtual meeting to review ongoing progress.
He said,
“Everybody is absolutely focused on what we need to get out of this, and that is a just and lasting peace. So progress, yes, more work to do.”
The Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine should have the final say over matters concerning its own future.
He said,
“Both of those words matter. It’s got to be just, and obviously matters for Ukraine have to be determined by Ukraine, but it’s also got to be lasting, and it’s got to endure. “So that’s the focus. There’s more work to do.”
Mr Starmer’s official spokesperson said Britain remains “steadfast” in supporting Ukraine and is determined to “keep it in the fight.”
When asked about the most recent peace talks in Ukraine, the PM’s spokesperson stated,
“The prime minister obviously welcomes the significant progress made at yesterday’s meetings between the US and Ukraine in Geneva. As the US, Ukraine, joint statement makes clear, yesterday’s talks were a major step towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Number 10 said,
“Of course, there are some outstanding issues, but as both countries have set out, intensive work on the peace plan will continue in the coming days and weeks, you can expect the prime minister to continue his engagement with world leaders this week.”
The spokesperson added,
“While diplomatic efforts continue, we will stand steadfast with Ukraine to keep it in the fight, and ensure the Ukrainian people can defend themselves during ongoing barbaric attacks like we saw last night, and in the long term.”
Downing Street said Russia claims to seek peace, but its actions fail to match its words.
What did Donald Trump say about progress in the Ukraine peace talks?
US President Donald Trump suggested that “something good may just be happening” in the Ukraine peace talks in Geneva.
European, Ukrainian, and US negotiators are reportedly drafting a new peace plan after an initial President Trump-backed proposal appeared to favor Russia.
Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Monday,
“Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine???”
He added,
“Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening.”
President Trump has stayed largely silent on the peace deal, but on Sunday, he accused Kyiv of showing “zero gratitude” for his efforts to mediate an end to the conflict.
Mr Trump has given Ukraine a Thursday deadline to accept the proposal, but officials say it may be extended due to ongoing disagreements over territorial concessions.
How did Lib Dems urge Keir Starmer to rule out Russia rejoining G7?
A recent 28-point US peace plan for Ukraine indicates that Russia could be readmitted to the G8, now the G7, following its 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Calum Miller, Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson, said the party wants Keir Starmer to rule out the proposal,
“Russia must not be readmitted to the G7. Putin is a war criminal who is also hell-bent on destabilising Europe and the rest of the international order. A ceasefire in Ukraine would not change those facts.”
He added,
“The prime minister should categorically rule out readmitting Russia to the G7. Anything less than a total block on Putin returning to the group would show authoritarians everywhere that aggression pays.”
What did UK MPs say about Ukraine and calls to surrender land?
Parliament’s defence committee has warned that the UK must reject any calls for Ukraine to cede its territory.
The committee said,
“The United Kingdom must stand unequivocally with the people of Ukraine at this critical moment. Their struggle is not only for their own homeland, but also in defence of the security, stability and values of other parts of Europe.”
It added,
“We believe that any peace must be just, lasting, and above all acceptable to Ukraine itself. The international community cannot and must not endorse any settlement that merely reflects the demands of President Putin, or that rewards aggression, annexation, or the violation of the most basic norms of international law.”
What progress was made on the Ukraine peace plan?
After an emergency summit in Geneva on Sunday, the US and Ukraine announced an “updated and refined” framework to resolve the conflict with Russia.
The two delegations said in a joint statement that the negotiations were “highly productive,” but did not provide details on outstanding issues.
Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State who led the talks, said substantial progress had been made, though work remains on issues including NATO’s role.
The European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Monday that the Geneva peace talks had made “good progress.”
She stated,
“An efficient and coordinated European engagement, as well as a strong European presence in Geneva, has allowed us to make good progress in the negotiations for just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
According to reports, plans are underway for a meeting between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.
When did the Ukraine-Russia war start?
The Russo-Ukrainian War is an ongoing conflict that began in February 2014 with Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its military intervention in the Donbas region.
The conflict escalated into a full-scale invasion when Russian forces attacked Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
A report by the United Nations Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said,
“The number of casualties for the first ten months of 2025 (12,062) has already exceeded the total for all of 2024 (9,112).”
It added,
“At least 148 civilians were killed and 929 injured in October, mirroring the high numbers in the previous two months.”
The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has resulted in 53,006 civilian casualties, with 14,534 confirmed deaths.