Starmer warns allies must speed up use of frozen Russian assets to fund weapons for Ukraine as Zelensky warns Putin’s brutal attacks are creating a ‘humanitarian disaster’

Keir Starmer urged allies to ‘finish the job’ on frozen Russian assets by using them to strengthen Ukraine’s defences as he sought to rally support for Kyiv amid stalled peace efforts.

The Prime Minister also condemned Vladimir Putin’s ‘ludicrous demands’ for Ukrainian land as ‘a non-starter’ as he convened a meeting of the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ in London today.

Sir Keir said allies should step up the provision of weapons as winter approaches and its energy infrastructure remains under threat from attacks by Moscow.

The PM met Ukrainian President Voloydmyr Zelensky for a bilateral meeting in No 10 on Friday ahead of the two leaders joining a call along with the wider coalition of more than 30 countries pledging support for Kyiv.

Speaking on the call, Sir Keir also called on leaders to step up the provision of long-range weapons after a successful attack on a chemical plant in Bryansk, Russia, using British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles.

The Prime Minister also insisted work on ‘security guarantees’ for Kyiv was ongoing following speculation that the focus of the coalition had shifted away from planning for a peacekeeping force to monitor any potential ceasefire.

It came after Mr Zelensky warned Putin was pushing Ukraine towards ‘humanitarian disaster’.

Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the Ukrainian president to Downing Street on Friday ahead of talks on how to increase pressure on Moscow and boost Ukraine’s defences.

Speaking in No10 ahead of the meeting Mr Zelensky said Russian aggression was ‘pushing us with such humanitarian disaster’ with attacks targeting infrastructure including Ukraine’s energy sector. 

Mr Zelensky, Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen, Dutch premier Dick Schoof and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte faced the media this afternoon, while around 20 other leaders dialled in to a meeting of the ‘coalition of the willing’ – the initiative led by Sir Keir and France’s Emmanuel Macron.

Speaking in No10 ahead of the meeting Mr Zelensky said Russian aggression was ‘pushing us with such humanitarian disaster’ with attacks targeting infrastructure including Ukraine’s energy sector.

On Tuesday an attack killed four people and left hundreds of thousands without power and many without water in the Chernihiv region in Moscow’s latest salvo designed to break its neighbour’s energy system ahead of winter.

‘We’re thankful to you that we are not alone in this situation – from the very beginning of war but especially now, it’s very important,’ Mr Zelensky said.

Sir Keir said ‘huge steps forward’ have been taken this week to support Kyiv, but there is ‘further we can do’ on long-range capability.

The Prime Minister said: ‘Whilst you have signalled the path for a way forward and shown that willingness of courage and determination, what we see from Putin is an absolute unwillingness to engage, in fact, the opposite, which is the continued attacks increasingly on civilians and on children, and sadly I have to offer you my condolences again, as I did the last time we met and the time before, for those terrible losses.

‘I do think that this week we can really bear down on Russian oil and gas. Huge steps forward this week already.

‘I think there’s further we can do on capability, particularly… long-range capability, and of course, the vital work for the coalition of the willing when it comes to the security guarantees that are necessary.’

The King gave Mr Zelensky a ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle before the talks.

After arriving at the castle’s quadrangle on Friday morning, Mr Zelensky shook hands with Charles and was given a royal salute – the first ceremonial welcome the leader has received in the UK.

The Ukrainian national anthem was played and Mr Zelensky was invited to inspect the 1st Battalion of the Grenadier Guards.

Dressed in black, Mr Zelensky said ‘Thank-you so much’ to Major Ben Tracey, who led the inspection as captain of the guard of honour.

Mr Zelensky was then taken inside the castle for an audience with the King, as members of the public watched on from the gates of the quadrangle.