Putin’s ‘irresponsible nuclear rhetoric’ will not deter UK support for Ukraine

Russia’s “irresponsible rhetoric” connected atomic weapons volition not deter UK enactment for Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Vladimir Putin has lowered the threshold for atomic weapons connected the 1,000th time of the Ukraine war, a time aft the US gave the war-torn federation support to usage its long-range weaponry to occurrence into Russia.

Speaking astatine the G20 acme successful Brazil, the Prime Minister besides noted Mr Putin’s lack and described him arsenic the “author of his ain exile” from the gathering.

This is irresponsible rhetoric coming from Russia and that is not going to deter our enactment for Ukraine

Sir Keir Starmer

Asked astatine a property league successful Rio de Janeiro whether Britons should hole for atomic war, the Prime Minister said: “This is irresponsible rhetoric coming from Russia and that is not going to deter our enactment for Ukraine.

“We’re present connected time 1,000 of a conflict, that’s 1,000 days of Russian aggression, 1,000 days of sacrifices successful Ukraine.

“We person stood with Ukraine from the start. I’ve been doubling down successful my wide connection that we request to guarantee Ukraine has what is needed for arsenic agelong arsenic needed to triumph this warfare against Putin.”

He declined to accidental whether helium was disappointed that the G20 associated communique watered down enactment for Ukraine.

Asked astir it, the PM said: “The communique is perfectly wide connected the UN charter and sovereignty and territorial integrity, and evidently that’s negotiated by rather a benignant of divers group.”

Downing Street had earlier described the G20 leaders’ connection arsenic “disappointing” connected its stance implicit the warfare successful Ukraine.

Sir Keir besides told reporters: “For the 3rd twelvemonth running, Putin did not be this summit. He is the writer of his ain exile.”

In a nonstop connection to the Russian leader, the Prime Minister added: “On time 1,000 of Russia’s amerciable warfare successful Ukraine, I accidental again: ‘End the war. Get retired of Ukraine’.”

Mr Putin has signed a revised atomic doctrine declaring that a accepted onslaught connected Russia by immoderate federation that is supported by a atomic powerfulness volition beryllium considered a associated onslaught connected his country.

This came aft Washington gave the greenish airy for the usage of US long-range missiles wrong Russia and amid speculation that the UK could travel suit with British-supplied Storm Shadow weapons.

The Russian leader’s determination hints astatine his readiness to endanger usage of the country’s atomic arsenal to unit the West to backmost down, and means that immoderate monolithic aerial onslaught connected Russia could trigger a atomic response.

Shortly aft the updates were rubber-stamped, Moscow’s defence ministry said Ukraine had fired six US-made ATACMs missiles astatine Russia’s Bryansk region.

The ministry said it changeable down 5 and damaged 1 more, successful a connection carried by Russian quality agencies.

Eric Trump, the lad of US President-elect Donald Trump, told the PA quality bureau said helium believes his father’s comments that helium tin extremity the warfare successful Ukraine successful “one day”.

Asked however Donald Trump would beryllium capable to bash that, Eric Trump replied: “Because Putin really respects him.

“He’s not going to nonstop 200 cardinal dollars implicit to spot young boys stroke each other’s heads disconnected successful soiled trenches, broadcast the satellite connected YouTube each night.

“He volition extremity that conflict. You people my words. He volition extremity that conflict.”

Earlier connected Tuesday, Ukraine’s wide unit said the Ukrainian service had carried retired a onslaught connected the arsenal of the 1046th logistics enactment centre successful the country of Karachev successful the Bryansk region.

Defence Secretary John Healey visited a Ukrainian Catholic religion successful London with Tory shadiness James Cartlidge to show cross-party enactment for Kyiv’s cause.

The UK volition supply £7.5 cardinal for caller onslaught and surveillance drones, the Ministry of Defence meanwhile announced.

Elsewhere, UK sanctions against 10 entities and individuals accused of the “forcible deportation and attempted indoctrination” of Ukrainian children were announced by the Foreign Office.