Prime Minister Kiel said military plans to protect potential Ukraine’s ceasefire have moved into the “operational phase” after virtual meetings with 29 other world leaders.
Military leaders will meet in London on Thursday with “swinging towards the back of the peace agreement and creating strong and robust plans to ensure Ukraine’s future security,” Sir Kiel said.
The meeting follows Ukraine, which agrees to a 30-day ceasefire after consultations with the US. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agreed with the idea but set many preconditions for peace.
“We need to have positive pressure, not just consultations,” Ukrainian President Voldymeierzelensky, who attended Saturday’s meeting.
“The world must understand that Russia is the only obstacle to prevent peace,” he said.
“The road to peace must begin unconditionally. If Russia does not want this, it will need to be subject to strong pressure until they do. Moscow understands one language,” added Zelensky.
He urged European countries to produce their own weapons as quickly as possible and reach deals more quickly by “forced full sanctions, strong pressure and forced Russia to do peace” with the US and its President Donald Trump.
In a speech after the video call, Ir Kiel said, “The world needs action… not empty words or conditions.”
In a statement, he said “the Kremlin dithering and delays “delays on the ceasefire proposal” and the continued attack on Ukraine “completely refutes Putin’s desire for peace.”
Leaders agreed on Saturday that if Putin refuses an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire”, they should “put pressure and persuade him to come to the negotiation table,” Sir Kiel said.
“To achieve this, we will accelerate military support, strengthen sanctions on Russia’s revenue, continue to explore all legal routes, and ensure that Russia will pay the damages it has inflicted on Ukraine,” the statement read.
Putin supported the idea of a ceasefire on Thursday, but added that it had “nuanced,” and asked a list of questions for details, including whether the ceasefire could help Ukraine and who would police it.
Participants in Saturday’s call included NATO, the European Union, almost 20 European countries, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The military chiefs meet this week to advance “practical plans” on how the military can support Ukraine, Sir Kiel said.
“We are ready to build up Ukraine’s own defense and army, and to deploy as a ‘coalition of will’ in the case of peace agreements, to help secure Ukraine by sea, sea and air,” his statement read.
Sir Kiel introduced the idea of a “Wishing Union” to defend the ceasefire earlier this month, saying it will grow on Saturday and includes support from Japan and others.
“The Prime Minister has previously said that he is ready to place the British troops in Ukraine to ensure security as part of the peace agreement.” He called on other European countries to commit to specific security assurances, saying that a US “backstop” is needed.
At a post-summit press conference, Zelensky said that some form of “boots on the ground” would be needed after the ceasefire, but some admitted they were “skeptical.”
Finland President Alexander Stubb said it was “too early” to talk with Laura Kuensberg on Sunday after the summit, on the BBC’s Sunday about putting the troops on the ground as part of their security assurance.
Stubb said that Finland is willing to become part of its efforts to defend the peace agreement, but that “it is too early to talk about boots on the ground because there is no ceasefire. There is no peace process.
He said, “From anywhere from 50 different ways they can help, ground boots are just one way.”
Tens of thousands have been killed since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
