The British prime minister issued his warning to the Russian president after meeting officials from 31 countries at the Northwood military base outside London, where they have started sketching out which western forces might be deployed to protect Ukraine in the future, The Guardian reported.

Starmer said Putin would not be allowed to veto how Kyiv decides to defend itself, after the Russian president demanded Ukraine’s demilitarisation as part of any peace deal. But the prime minister did not reiterate his promise to put boots on the ground, instead saying allied forces would be deployed to support Ukrainian troops, including by sea and air, rather than replacing them.

Asked whether British troops were ever likely to serve in Ukraine as he has previously suggested, Starmer said the military planners were discussing offering support by air, sea and land. But he added, “There is a strong sense that, because of what’s happened in the last three years, the Ukrainian forces are amongst the strongest now in Europe. They’ve got the capability, they’ve got the numbers, and they’ve actually got the frontline experience.”

He told reporters the talks in London were focusing on how to “keep the skies, and the seas, and the borders safe in Ukraine”.

According to the Daily Telegraph, sending British Typhoon jets to Ukraine to provide air cover for troops was one of the proposals discussed during the meeting.

Ahead of the talks, Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said “we’re not yet talking about numbers” of UK troops potentially being sent to Ukraine “because we’re still designing the shape of the force”.

Earlier, Starmer was pictured aboard a submarine in a rare showcasing of the country’s nuclear deterrent, filmed earlier this week in footage only released on Thursday, according to Reuters. 

DID