Also from the journey to the summit in Paris, the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, has said the war in Ukraine will end at the negotiating table.
Sunak said he would support president 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 they have an advantage on the battlefield.
Sunak’s comments on his way to the first UK-France summit in five years, marked a clear divide in stance on how the war against Russia will end from that of his predecessor Boris Johnson. 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 a 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.”