ISTANBUL/LONDON

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will violate any potential peace agreement with Ukraine if security guarantees are not in place.

Speaking after a meeting hosted by the UK where Western military officials discussed the operational military phase of a possible peace agreement in Ukraine, Starmer said that more than 20 countries had gathered in a closed session to consider proposals for deploying troops to help secure Ukraine.

He stressed that security arrangements were essential, making it clear to Russia that any breach of an agreement would have "severe consequences."

Starmer noted that the UK and its allies were shifting from political momentum to military planning and that preparations needed to be made before any agreement between Russia and Ukraine was reached.

"It is vitally important we do that work because we know one thing for certain, which is a deal without anything behind it is something that Putin will breach," he said.

"We know that because it happened before. I'm absolutely clear in my mind it will happen again."