PM's remarks at the Coalition of the Willing press conference: 24 October 2025
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-24)

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's remarks at the Coalition of the Willing press conference at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

Good afternoon everyone.

Volodymyr, Let me start by paying tribute to you and to the Ukrainian people.

You are fighting not just for Ukraine.

But for the freedom and security that is cherished by the British people -

And by all Europeans - every single day.

Just a few moments ago here in the United Kingdom, we saw the sentencing of six men here in the UK for a Russian-sponsored arson attack on a warehouse in East London.

Storing humanitarian aid and satellite equipment destined for Ukraine.

We will not tolerate this hostile activity.

And it just underlines the point: your security is our security.

What happens on the frontline of Donetsk today is shaping our collective future for years to come.

That’s why Emmanuel and I brought the Coalition of the Willing together today.

We stand with you, stronger than ever. United behind Ukraine and united with President Trump in calling for the fighting to stop now.

And for negotiations to begin from the current line of contact.

President Trump is right to have imposed sanctions on Russia’s oil majors -

As the UK has also done alongside the latest package from the EU.

And we must now maintain this pressure.

Volodymyr, you have said for months that you’re ready for a ceasefire - and ready to meet Putin.

Yet he continues to stall and play for time.

Putin is the only person who does not want to stop this war.

His strikes on civilians this week made that crystal clear once again.

Targeting energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

Hitting young children in their nursery. Claiming the lives in Kyiv of a 12-year-old girl and a six-month old baby.

This is who Putin is.

Time after time he rejects the chance to end the war.

In the last few days, he has rejected the opportunity for talks once again.

Instead making ludicrous demands for Ukrainian land which he could not and has not taken by force.

Of course that is a non-starter.

And it shows yet again that he’s not serious about peace.

So we have been clear today that we must respond.

Working with the US this Coalition is determined to go further than ever to ratchet up the pressure on Putin - from the battlefield to his war economy - because that is the only way to change his mind and push him back to the table.

And in our meeting this afternoon we came together around a clear plan for rest of this year.

First, we will act to take Russian oil and gas off the global market.

Last week the UK became the first country to sanction all of Russia’s oil majors. On Wednesday, the US acted decisively to join us.

Together with further sanctions from the EU we are choking off funding to Russia’s war machine.

I am urging others to take these steps too to go further to reduce their dependencies and incentivise third countries to stop buying these tainted resources.

Second, we are determined to push on with the progress on Russia’s sovereign assets and unlock billions to help finance Ukraine’s defence.

The bill for Russia’s destruction in Ukraine should be paid by Russia.

So we want to move ahead at speed with the work needed to deliver reparations loans.

And get the funds flowing to Ukraine.

Third, we are strengthening Ukraine’s air defence.

To protect its civilians and its energy infrastructure.

I announced today that we are accelerating our UK program. To provide Ukraine with more than 5,000 lightweight-multirole missiles.

This program has created hundreds of brilliant jobs in Belfast and they are working now to deliver an additional 140 missiles ahead of schedule.

To bolster Ukraine’s defences through the depths of winter.

Fourth, we will keep up the military pressure on Putin through the continued provision of long-range capabilities.

And finally, while now is the time to prioritise pressure, we are also continuing our work on security guarantees including the Multinational Force Ukraine to uphold a just and lasting peace, when that day finally comes.

Because, I say it again, Ukraine’s future is our future.

What happens in the weeks and months ahead is pivotal for the security of the UK and all our allies across NATO and beyond.

So we are determined to act now.

To dial up the pressure on Putin and finally bring him to the negotiating table in good faith.

Thank you.