Starmer calls for deadline to stop Putin’s ‘games’

ODN

Vladimir Putin must be given a deadline to make progress on a Ukraine ceasefire, Sir Keir Starmer said as European allies step up plans to deploy troops and secure a peace deal. The Prime Minister said the Russian president was “playing games” and attempting to drag the Donald Trump-initiated process out to allow his forces time to continue their assaults on Ukraine. Report by Faragt. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

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00:00And it's now, obviously, over two weeks since Ukraine agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire.

00:08That offer is still unanswered.

00:11It's over a week since Putin agreed to an energy and infrastructure ceasefire.

00:17But since then, Russia has hit energy infrastructure in cities across Ukraine.

00:24They've increased their bombardment, firing over 1,000 long-range drones at the country,

00:30hitting Ukrainian homes, schools and hospitals, with widespread civilian casualties.

00:37One drone killed a mother, a father and their daughter, an innocent family.

00:47Then this week, we saw the agreement on a ceasefire in the Black Sea.

00:51I welcomed this as a vital first step forward.

00:55But within a few minutes of the announcement, Russia set out new conditions and delays.

01:02Now, President Trump has rightly called them out for dragging their feet.

01:07And we agreed here in Paris today that it's clear the Russians are filibustering.

01:13They are playing games and they're playing for time.

01:18It is a classic from the Putin playbook.

01:22But we can't let them drag this out while they continue prosecuting their illegal invasion.

01:28Instead, we should be setting a framework and a deadline of delivering real progress.

01:35And then we should hold them to that deadline.

01:39So here in Paris, we've agreed that we must go further now to support the peace process,

01:46support Ukraine and increase the pressure on Russia to get serious.

01:51That means first stepping up the military pressure.

01:55So the defence secretary will chair the next Ukraine defence contact group on the 11th of April

02:02to marshal more military aid and keep Ukraine in the fight.

02:07Because peace comes through strength.

02:10That was one of the main messages reasserted today and emphasised today all around the table and the meeting.

02:18Second, it means increasing the economic pressure on Russia, accelerating new tougher sanctions,

02:25bearing down on Russia's energy revenues and working together to make this pressure count.

02:33We also discussed how we can support the implementation of a full or partial ceasefire when it is in place.

02:41And how we can build on efforts towards negotiations on a just and lasting peace.

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