Keir Starmer has branded Vladimir Putin “erratic and increasingly desperate” as he hinted at the possibility of a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
In his first major foreign policy speech since becoming prime minister, he said Moscow poses a “near and present danger” to the west as the conflict approaches its third anniversary.
Speaking at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in central London, the PM also vowed to strengthen the UK’s ties with both American and Europe and he rejected calls for the government to choose one or the other.
Starmer’s comments come amid increasing evidence that Russia is gaining the upper hand in the conflict, which began with its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
He said the West must ensure Ukraine is “in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms”.
The PM said he remembered “walking the streets of Bucha, just outside Kyiv, to bear witness to the true horror of Russia’s invasion”.
“I met people there who had to pick up the bodies of their friends, their family members, civilians killed – many of them handcuffed,” he said.
“And let’s be clear, the future of freedom in Europe is being decided today. We face a near and present danger with Russia as an erratic, increasingly desperate aggressor, on our continent marshalling all its resources - along with North Korean troops and Iranian missiles - aiming to kill and to conquer.
“So there’s no question it’s right we support Ukraine. But we must also be clear that it is deeply in our self-interest. I would encourage everyone here to stop and think for a moment about what it would mean to us, to our continent, to the world if Russia wins. What would it mean for our values – for democracy, commerce, and liberty?
“It means they are weakened. It means that other autocrats would believe they can follow Putin’s example. And it means that our own security, stability and prosperity are damaged. The further Russian troops advance, the closer the threat becomes. The more land they control, the more they control grain prices and energy sources, and the more confident Putin becomes.
“So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defence for as long as it takes. To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence - and right to choose their own future.”
Elsewhere in his speech, Starmer said it was “plain wrong” for some to suggest that the UK must now make a choice between seeking closer ties with either the incoming Donald Trump administration or the EU.
He pointed out that the former Labour prime minister, Clement Attlee, realised that “maintaining our strength abroad gave us the foundation to succeed at home”.
“That is as true today as it was then,” said Starmer. “I want to be clear at the outset. Against the backdrop of these dangerous times, the idea that we must choose between our allies, that somehow we’re with either America or Europe, is plain wrong. I reject it utterly.
“Attlee did not choose between allies. Churchill did not choose. The national interest demands that we work with both.”