Western sanctions on Russia need to be increased, not weakened, in order to bring it to the negotiating table, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The prime minister accused Vladimir Putin of “playing games and playing for time” after the Russian president demanded sanctions are lifted before a maritime ceasefire with Ukraine is enacted. “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 said in Paris, where he is meeting European leaders. The so-called “coalition of the willing” summit follows separate talks held by the US with Ukrainian and Russian negotiators, which led to a ceasefire in the Black Sea being agreed. Starmer said on Thursday that there needed to be a “framework and a deadline” for Ukraine peace talks. He said he had agreed with partners at the summit, which hosted representatives from 30 nations as well as the European Union and Nato, that “we must go further now to support the peace process, support Ukraine and increase the pressure on Russia to get serious”.
Source link
