The war in Ukraine will end at the negotiating table, Rishi Sunak has said, as he vowed to support Volodymyr Zelenskiy to be in the “best possible place to have those talks”.
While the prime minister indicated that now is not the time for those peace talks, he recommitted to providing additional support to Ukraine to ensure it has an advantage on the battlefield.
Sunak’s comments on his way to the first UK-France summit in five years, marked a clear divide with his predecessor Boris Johnson in his stance on how the war against Russia will end. The former prime minister heaped pressure on Sunak, urging the UK to send jets and tanks to help Ukraine “finish the job”.
Speaking on the Eurostar to Paris hours before meeting his “friend” Emmanuel Macron, Sunak said: “We’re providing training to use those capabilities. That’s all under way, as well as just helping defend themselves against the attacks that they’re facing, particularly on their critical national infrastructure. Now, that should be everyone’s focus.
“Of course, this will end as all conflicts do, at the negotiating table, but that is a decision for Ukraine to make. And what we need to do is put them in the best possible place to have those talks at an appropriate moment that makes sense for them.
“But at the moment, the priority has got to be giving them the resources, the training and the support they need to push forward and create advantage on the battlefield.”
The prime minister hopes to start a “new chapter” in his relationship with France, and believes the countries’ shared outlook on restoring peace in Ukraine will deepen and strengthen that relationship.
Over the last few years, relations between France and Britain were rocky under Johnson’s leadership, and worsened with the coronavirus pandemic.
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