‘Russia must end the bloodshed in Ukraine,’ Starmer tells Zelenskyy hours before strike on passenger train kills five
Sir Keir reiterated the need for 'just and lasting peace' as further attacks on the Ukrainian energy grid loom
Sir Keir Starmer has called on Russia to end the bloodshed in Ukraine during a call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy - as fears grow that millions of Ukrainians will be left without power in freezing temperatures as strikes on the national energy grid intensify.
Listen to this article
The Prime Minister spoke to the Ukrainian leader hours before a strike on a passenger train killed five people in the Kharkiv region in Russia’s latest deadly assault.
Mr Zelenskyy blasted the attacks as an act of “terrorism”.
“In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be considered in exactly the same way – purely as terrorism. There is not and cannot be any military purpose in this,” he said.
In a call with Mr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, Sir Keir reiterated the need for a just and lasting peace as further attacks loom.
“The leaders discussed the progress made during recent peace talks in Abu Dhabi and agreed on the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine."
Read more: Russia and Ukraine peace talks 'productive', White House says after first day of negotiations
Starmer said that Ukraine has already "shown its commitment to peace and that Russia must end the continued bloodshed."
"The Prime Minister said the UK would continue to work closely with international partners to support Ukraine’s security,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
It comes as many families face no heating or electricity due to attacks on the energy network as a freezing winter looms.
Earlier this month, Britain announced £20 million in support for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure amid escalating and indiscriminate Russian attacks.
Mr Zelenskyy welcomed the announcement and stressed the need for further assistance.
"I thank Keir for his words of condolence regarding Russian strikes on civilians and energy facilities.
“It is crucial that the UK is supporting us not only with words but also through concrete energy aid packages. We value the decisions already made and hope that our discussions on strengthening air defense will also yield results," Mr Zelenskyy said in a Facebook post.
On Tuesday, Ukraine’s state-owned oil and gas firm Naftogaz said a Russian strike had targeted one of its facilities in a western region. The company claimed it was the 15th deliberate attack on its infrastructure since the start of the year.
Its CEO, Sergii Korteskyi wrote on Facebook: "The impact caused a fire at the site. For safety reasons and to protect people and prevent environmental pollution, the company's specialists immediately stopped the technological processes at the facility.”