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Keir warns Trump ‘don’t let Ukraine become another Afghanistan’ & urges US to provide ‘backstop’ to halt Putin’s attacks
Germany has rejected Starmer's calls to put boots on Ukrainian grounds after a peace deal
SIR Keir Starmer has warned president Donald Trump to not let Ukraine become "another Afghanistan" amid peace talks with Russia.
The PM has also called for the US to provide a “backstop” to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again while speaking at the emergency security summit in Paris.
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He said UK troops could be put on the ground in Ukraine as part of any peace deal brokered by the US President.
Speaking in Paris, the PM said: “Europe must play its role, and I’m prepared to consider committing British forces on the ground alongside others if there is a lasting peace agreement.
“But there must be a US backstop because a US security guarantee is the only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again.”
However, Starmer did not specify what he meant by a "US backstop" and skipped a question when he was asked about it.
He warned that war-torn Ukraine cannot be plunged into an Afghanistan-style disaster.
Trump, who returned to the White House last month - branded the collapse of Kabul in 2021 "one of the greatest defeats in American history".
The Labour leader also urged the US not to make too many concessions to Russia, which could result in history repeating itself.
He said any such resolution must be "lasting" and prevent tyrant leader Vladimir Putin from "coming again" for more territory.
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Starmer said: “At stake is not just the future of Ukraine. It is an existential question for Europe as a whole, and therefore vital for Britain’s national interest.
“This is a once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of our own continent. Only a lasting peace in Ukraine that safeguards its sovereignty will deter Putin from further aggression in the future."
Trump & Putin's Ukraine deal - 'they'll try to redraw the map of Europe'
Meanwhile, Germany has rejected the PM's call to put boots on Ukrainian grounds after a peace deal is achieved.
After the emergency Paris meeting, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the suggestion was “completely premature” and "highly inappropriate".
Scholz added he was "annoyed" by the debate around sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine after the war is over.
It comes as Trump is said to withdraw US troops from Nato's front line with Russia in the Baltics, a report claims.
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The US president is looking to pull American forces out of parts of Europe.
It is not clear whether that withdrawal would be part of a wider peace deal with Putin or something Trump wants to do independently of that.
Just days ago, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said that the US is no longer "primarily focused" on Europe’s security.
LAUNCHING NEGOTIATIONS
The Labour leader arrived at the Elysee Palace in Paris, for emergency talks with European leaders on how to respond to Trump's launching of controversial negotiations with Putin.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has touched down in Saudi Arabia and is due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov tomorrow.
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is expected in the Middle East state on Wednesday.
However, Zelensky has insisted he has no knowledge of the talks pencilled in for Tuesday.
He insists he will not accept a deal brokered between Washington and Moscow - with the US set to freeze out European leaders to the talks, despite Zelensky's plea that they must be part of the talks.
Sir Keir, meanwhile, says he will attempt to "bridge" any gap with the new White House administration.
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Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the UK PM laid out his plans, saying Ukraine's future cannot be protected without security guarantees from Trump.
He referred to the chaos created as Trump's previous successor Joe Biden ordered the withdrawal of American troops after decades.
Trump has heavily criticised the decision but is said to have drawn up the original deal with the Taliban.
Sir Keir wrote: "We cannot have a situation like Afghanistan, where the US negotiated directly with the Taliban and cut out the Afghan government.
"I feel sure that president Trump will want to avoid this too."
During a visit to Bristol on Monday, the PM said: "I think what the US wants to achieve is lasting peace in Ukraine that aligns precisely with what we want in the United Kingdom, what Ukraine wants and what our European allies want.
"What we now need to do is to make sure that we work together on a plan that could get us to that point and that's why it's really important, I think, to focus first on the immediate questions in Ukraine, but also to look at the wider picture, which is now we are in this generational point, really, where we do need to step up across Europe in terms of our capability, our funding and our commitment to defence.
"Because this isn't just about Ukraine, it is about our own national security, and that's why my message will be we've all got to step up across Europe."
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He went on to say: "It's very important, after three years now of this dreadful conflict, to try to move forward. Of course, we could have a resolution tomorrow if Russia, the aggressor, pulled back."
Meanwhile, Zelensky said he had a "long conversation" with French President Emmanuel Macron discussing security guarantees for Ukraine.
Donald Trump's statement on the Ukraine peace talks in full
DONALD Trump took to Truth Social after his chat with Putin to say...
"I just had a lengthy and highly productive phone call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.
We discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, Energy, Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Dollar, and various other subjects.
We both reflected on the Great History of our Nations, and the fact that we fought so successfully together in World War II, remembering, that Russia lost tens of millions of people, and we, likewise, lost so many!
We each talked about the strengths of our respective Nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together.
But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine.
President Putin even used my very strong Campaign motto of, “COMMON SENSE.” We both believe very strongly in it.
We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other’s Nations.
We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now.
I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and Ambassador and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to lead the negotiations which, I feel strongly, will be successful.
Millions of people have died in a War that would not have happened if I were President, but it did happen, so it must end. No more lives should be lost!
I want to thank President Putin for his time and effort with respect to this call, and for the release, yesterday, of Marc Fogel, a wonderful man that I personally greeted last night at the White House. I believe this effort will lead to a successful conclusion, hopefully soon!"
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