A Russian MP and a news anchor were on air mocking the British Army. Vyacheslav Nikonov and Dmitry Kiselev’s comments came after Kier Starmer announced plans for a “coalition of the willing”
A Russian news anchor has brutally mocked the British Army after Keir Starmer said troops from Europe will help guarantee a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Dmitry Kiselev, who was on air discussing the latest moves by the west with Russian MP Vyacheslav Nikonov, when he joked: “But what troops? You could fit the whole British Army into Wembley Stadium and you’d still have room for some of the French.”
Mr Nikonov added: “Europe may talk big about giving Ukraine money and weapons but they don’t have that much money or produce weapons, and Americans can turn the taps off and stop supplying Ukraine with arm. The Western system is crashing like a house of cards.”
Both men were talking after a weekend where the Prime Minister unveiled plans to set up a “coalition of the willing” to defend Ukraine and to guarantee peace, backed with British “boots on the ground and planes in the air”. Keir Starmer has warned that the UK must be prepared to “defend peace” in Ukraine or conflict will “wash up on our shores”.
And he warned: “If you want to preserve the peace, you have to be prepared to defend the peace. The one thing history tells us is if there is conflict in Europe it will wash up on our shores.” Mr Starmer used a press conference to announce that Ukraine will be given £1.6billion of UK export finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles, which will be made in Belfast.
He said the West is “at a crossroads in history today” and warned it is “not a moment for more talk, it is time to act”. Leaders agreed to keep military aid flowing and to turn the screws on Russia’s economy, the PM said. Ukraine must have a seat at the table for peace talks, and any deal must guarantee its sovereignty and security.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined Mr Starmer and 17 other leaders and representatives for an emergency summit in London before heading to Sandringham to meet the King. The unusual show of solidarity came less than 48 hours after he clashed with Donald Trump and vice president Vance in the White House.
European leaders rallied to show support for Ukraine in the aftermath of an extraordinary row in the White House Oval Office on Friday. Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with world war three” and said he had not expressed enough thanks for US aid in defending his country against Putin’s invasion.
Zelensky has repeatedly thanked the US for its support since the row and has reiterated he is willing to sign the minerals deal with Trump that was supposed to be signed in Washington last week, before the trip was cut short after the row. The deal exchanges rights to natural resources for further American military support.