Russia accuses UK and France of ‘heating up’ Ukraine war amid defence push

The UK and France are “heating up the conflict” in Ukraine rather than seeking peace, Russia has suggested as Sir Keir Starmer travels to the US for crunch talks with Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister also hit back against accusations the Government was playing “silly games” over the amount of extra funding which will be raised for Britain’s defence.

Sir Keir announced the extra funding in response to “tyrant” Russian President Vladimir Putin and ongoing uncertainty over the US’s commitment to European security, although it comes at the expense of cuts to the UK’s aid budget.

Speaking during a visit to Qatar, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov claimed European nations, including the UK, were now seeking to prolong the war in Ukraine.

“The approach that is being imposed by the Europeans, first of all France and the British, is aimed… at heating up the conflict further and stopping any attempts to calm it down,” he said, according to a translation from Russia’s state news agency, Tass.

French President Emmanuel Macron pushed for security guarantees to enforce peace in Ukraine as he preceded Sir Keir in meeting US President Mr Trump this week.

Russian minister Mr Lavrov claimed European nations were “lying that Russia blocks negotiations” and were pursuing a “hopelessly outdated and failed” policy on Ukraine.

He also insisted Russia is not considering any options for a peace deal which will see European soldiers on the ground in Ukraine, despite Mr Trump claiming President Putin was open to such an arrangement.

Appearing at Prime Minister’s Questions ahead of his visit to the US, Sir Keir was asked by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch if the defence spending plans would allow the Government to “effectively” fund the commitment to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine.

Sir Keir replied: “She asks a serious question about the security guarantees in Ukraine, and that is extremely important because the worst of all outcomes, if there’s to be a cessation of hostilities, is that it is a short break rather than sustained and lasting peace.

“And I think that that means there’s got to be security guarantees.

“I’ve indicated that we will play our full part. There has to be US backing, because otherwise I don’t think it will deter Putin.

“We are working on that. I am having extensive discussions about it.

“I’m not in a position to put details before the House, as she well knows, today, but I’ll continue down that route because I want a lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe for the safety and security of Ukrainians, of Europeans and of course, for everybody in this country.”

Mrs Badenoch also pressed the Prime Minister about his claim the extra defence spending would amount to £13.4 billion.

“This morning his Defence Secretary said the uplift is only £6 billion. Which is the correct figure?” she asked.

Sir Keir replied: “If you take the numbers for this financial year and then the numbers for the financial year 27/28 that’s a £13.4 billion increase.

“That is the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, which will put us in a position to ensure the security and defence of our country and of Europe.”

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) was among the critics of the Government’s sums, and accused ministers of playing “silly games with numbers” over their claim that the defence spending increase to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 would mean £13.4 billion more would be spent on defence every year.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning, Defence Secretary John Healey was asked about criticism of the defence spending figures and said “the definition of defence numbers can be done in different ways”.

Pushed on whether the £13.4 billion figure would be correct if the assumption was that the Government did not increase the defence budget year on year in line with inflation, Mr Healey said: “That’s a cash number.”

He added: “In real terms, taking in inflation, it would be something over £6 billion. Either way, this is a big boost for defence.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to follow Sir Keir’s visit to Washington on Friday.

The Ukrainian president told reporters on Wednesday that a framework economic deal with the United States is ready – but security guarantees that Kyiv views as vital remain to be decided.

During a news conference in Kyiv, Mr Zelensky said the framework deal is a first step towards a full agreement that will be subject to ratification by Ukraine’s parliament.

Ukraine needs to know where the United States stands on its continued military support, he added.