UK PM blasts calls for Ukraine ‘ceasefire’

Attempts to ‘freeze’ the war in Ukraine will not bring about a just and lasting peace, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has said.

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Speaking in the House of Commons to former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Mr Sunak stressed calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine are "absolutely wrong" and should be "called out", the Independent reports.

Mr Corbyn said that "a ceasefire is not peace, but any peace process has to be started by a ceasefire, otherwise this war will go on and get worse and worse."

"I could not disagree with him more. A ceasefire is not a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. Russia has conducted an illegal and unprovoked invasion," the UK PM replied.

The "right and only response" to that is for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine, Mr Sunak added.

"[A]ll plans masquerading as peace plans, that are in fact attempts just to freeze the conflict where it is, are absolutely wrong and they should be called out."

A number of countries, including China and Brazil, have offered to mediate between Ukraine and Russia in an attempt to bring closer the end of the full-scale war, none of which has so far brought about ant tangible results.