UK’s Starmer pledges to Ukrainians: Putin’s crimes “will never be forgiven”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that Russia’s actions in Ukraine will neither be forgotten nor forgiven, accusing President Vladimir Putin of deliberately inflicting suffering on civilians, as he marked one year since London and Kyiv signed an unprecedented “hundred-year partnership” agreement.

“Today, January 16, a year has passed since President Zelensky and I met in Kyiv to conclude a treaty similar to which still did not exist – the Agreement on a hundred-year partnership between our countries,” Starmer wrote in an exclusive article for European pravda, a partner of EUalive.net .

According to the British prime minister, the partnership stands as “the clearest evidence that Putin’s imperial aspirations to tear Ukraine away from its closest partners have become a huge strategic failure”.

“Today we are closer than ever. And we find new ways to deepen our security ties and strengthen partnership for future generations,” he said. Starmer framed the cooperation not only as a strategic alliance but as a value-based bond rooted in shared democratic principles and public outrage over Russia’s conduct in the war.

“We do this through a deep sense of unity between our peoples. We do this through a shared belief in freedom, democracy and a promise of a better future. And we do it because we are outraged by Putin’s brutal cruelty,” he wrote.

The British PM accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of deliberately targeting civilians and essential infrastructure while publicly claiming to seek peace.

“As long as Ukraine and the majority of the world are united to work on a fair and lasting peace, Putin is demonstrating his true face by aiming his drones and missiles at the Ukrainian people,” Starmer said, describing such actions as Putin’s “‘language of peacekeeping’, when he kills innocent men, women and children and tries to immerse millions of people in the cold and darkness in the middle of a frosty winter, when the temperature outside falls to -20°C.”

“These actions have no other purpose but to increase the suffering of the civilian population,” he added. “It’s shameful. We will never forgive and will not forget these crimes.”

Starmer also pointed to what he called deliberate misinformation and military escalation by Moscow, citing claims of an alleged attack on Putin’s residence and the use of advanced missile systems.

“When Putin comes up with a story about the ‘attack’ on his residence, we expose this lie,” he said and added: “When he uses the Oresnik missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads to hit Lviv 1000 km from the front line and 70 km from the NATO countries, we condemn this as an outright escalation.”

He further referenced a Russian strike on a hospital in Kyiv earlier this month, which he said highlighted the human cost of the war.

“That strike again reminded me of my visit to the intensive care unit in Kyiv last year,” Starmer wrote, recounting meetings with wounded soldiers, civilians and medical staff, including “an unforgettable story of a nurse from Chernihiv, who carried a seriously wounded soldier on the back on the ninth floor to the intensive care unit after the rocket strikes dismantled the elevators in the hospital.”

Despite the pressure, Starmer said Ukraine’s resistance continues to strengthen: “Putin would like to turn your life into hell – but instead your determination to resist is only growing,” he wrote. “The same is growing our admiration for the incredible feats of courage and determination that you demonstrate every day.”

He confirmed that the UK is expanding cooperation through a “Territorial Partnership”, covering areas “from education and the economy to strengthening your defense”. Starmer highlighted joint British-Ukrainian defence projects, including the development of interceptor drones designed to destroy Shahed drones before they reach civilian targets.

“We produce thousands of such interceptors every month to send them to Ukraine,” he said and revealed that London is developing new missile capabilities for Kyiv.

“A few days ago, we also announced that we were developing new tactical ballistic missiles for Ukraine that would strengthen your firepower in the fight against Putin’s war machine,” Starmer wrote. On the diplomatic front, the prime minister pointed to the January 6 meeting in Paris of what he called the “resolvable coalition”, bringing together 39 countries supporting Ukraine.

“We have once again demonstrated our resolute commitment to continue supporting your defense as long as Russia continues its aggression,” he said, adding that coalition members agreed to go “further than ever” in security guarantees in the event of a peace agreement, together with the United States.

Starmer confirmed that the UK and France had taken an additional step by signing a declaration on the possible deployment of military forces in Ukraine after a peace deal.

“We signed the Declaration on the intention to deploy our military forces in Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement,” he wrote, describing the move as a step towards creating a legal basis for allied forces to operate on Ukrainian soil to secure airspace and maritime routes and to help rebuild Ukraine’s armed forces.

“These are important commitments for the long term,” Starmer stressed. Concluding his message, the British prime minister reiterated London’s enduring role in Ukraine’s defence and future reconstruction.

“I want Ukraine to know, especially on this anniversary, that the UK is with you,” he wrote. “We will remain your first pillar in the war. And we will be your first pillar when peace comes.”

Caption: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at 10 Downing Street, London, Britain, 08 December 2025. The President of Ukraine comes to Downing Street to meet the leaders of the UK, France and Germany to discuss the negotiations of the ongoing peace talks aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. EPA/TOLGA AKMEN