The Foreign Secretary says Putin must get serious about engaging in peace talks

Vladimir Putin must “get serious” about engaging in peace talks, David Lammy has said.

Vladimir Putin must “get serious” about engaging in peace talks, David Lammy has said.

The Foreign Secretary commended Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky for his “willingness to engage in talks” as European foreign ministers gathered in London for discussions about the continent’s security.

Mr Zelensky has challenged his Russian counterpart to meet him face-to-face for negotiations to end the war in his country on Thursday in Turkey.

Mr Putin faces the challenge after he said he wanted to hold direct talks with Kyiv.

Urging the Russian leader to step up to the table, Mr Lammy said: “This is the time for Vladimir Putin to get serious about peace in Europe, to get serious about a ceasefire, and to get serious about talks.”

But Europe’s leaders are “prepared if this is not the moment of seriousness from Putin”, he added.

The Foreign Secretary is hosting his counterparts from France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Poland and the EU for a meeting at Lancaster House on Monday, after a weekend of diplomacy for Ukraine.

Mr Lammy is expected to announce further sanctions targeting those supporting Moscow at the meeting of the Weimar+ group, just days after Sir Keir Starmer warned of further action if Russia does not commit to peace.

Mr Lammy told reporters that April had been the “deadliest month” in the war for children, as he urged Russia to engage in talks.

Overnight, the Kremlin launched more than a hundred drones into Ukraine, in an apparent rejection of an unconditional ceasefire.

Several European leaders at the London gathering indicated they wanted to see Russia stop its attacks on Ukraine before peace talks could begin in earnest between the two combatants’ leaders.

“If there is no ceasefire there cannot be talks under fire,” EU commission vice president Kaja Kallas said.

She added: “We want to see that Russia also wants peace.

“It takes two to want peace, it takes only one to want war, and we see that Russia clearly wants war.”

Meanwhile, Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the Russian consulate in Krakow would be closed after officials had discovered links to an act of arson at a shopping mall in Warsaw.

“This is completely unacceptable, so the Russian consulate will have to leave,” he told reporters.

The Foreign Secretary insisted Ukraine’s allies would work to place it in a “position of strength” and “counter the threat” of Mr Putin, as he spoke at the top of the meeting.

He pointed to the importance of UK-EU talks this week.

Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister Andrii Sybiha joined the meeting via a video call.

US president Donald Trump said on Sunday afternoon that Ukraine should agree to Mr Putin’s request for talks “immediately” and that he is “starting to doubt” whether Kyiv is willing to make a deal with Russia.

Published: 12/05/2025 by Radio NewsHubClick here to read this story in full at Radio News Hub