British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed a lack of trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin, fearing that Moscow could attempt to leave Ukraine defenseless after a peace deal.
In an interview with the New York Times (NYT), Starmer revealed that Europe’s vulnerability became clear when Russian tanks crossed Ukraine’s border over three years ago.
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“In our heart of hearts, we’ve known this moment was coming,” he said.
He emphasized that Europe must seize this opportunity as a “galvanizing moment.”
On the debate between aligning with the US or Europe, Starmer said, “Churchill didn’t do it. Attlee didn’t do it. It’d be a big mistake, in my view, to choose now.”
However, he acknowledged the need for a stronger European commitment, agreeing with US President Trump’s view that “there needs to be a greater burden borne by European countries for the collective self-defense of Europe.”
Starmer’s current diplomatic efforts involve assembling a multinational coalition to ensure Ukraine’s safety post-peace settlement.
He stressed that despite NATO’s rejections, particularly Russia’s refusal of a peacekeeping force, he remains committed to forming this “coalition of the willing” to secure Ukraine’s skies, ports, and borders, as per the NYT.
“I don’t trust Putin,” Starmer said, fearing that Russia would seek to leave Ukraine defenseless after a deal. “That gives him what he wants, which is the opportunity to go in again.”
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While the military effort faces challenges - no other European country besides Britain and France has committed forces - Starmer is moving quickly, believing that “if we only move at the pace of the most cautious, then we’re going to move very slowly.”
A key part of Starmer’s strategy involves convincing Trump of NATO’s importance. Although Donald Trump has criticized the alliance, Starmer emphasized that the “special relationship” between Britain and the US remains strong.
“On a person-to-person basis, I think we have a good relationship. I like and respect him. I understand what he’s trying to achieve,” Starmer spoke about Trump, whom he first met for dinner at Trump Tower last fall.
British PM told the NYT that he has worked behind the scenes to help mediate between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“On the day in which the Oval Office meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky didn’t go particularly well, we were under pressure to come out very critically with flowery adjectives to describe how others felt,” he said.
“I took the view that it was better to pick up the phone and talk to both sides to try and get them back on the same page,” Starmer added.
To help mend relations, Starmer sent his national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, to Kyiv to guide Zelensky on how to better engage with Trump.
According ti the NYT, during several sessions, British officials helped Zelensky formulate language to address his concerns about a ceasefire that could still leave the Russians attacking.
Starmer then called Trump to share updates from Kyiv and set the stage for a subsequent conversation between Trump and Zelensky. When they spoke again, Zelensky expressed his support for Trump’s peace initiative.
Looking ahead, Starmer has pledged to increase military spending to 2.5% of Britain’s GDP by 2027, though funding remains uncertain, especially with a possible increase to 3% in the next decade.
As Europe faces a “darker era,” Starmer stressed the urgency of rethinking defense and security policies.
“We need to think about defense and security in a more immediate way,” Starmer said. “I don’t want to veer into scaremongering,” but he added that the shifting security landscape demands new priorities.
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