Starmer to visit troops serving on Russian border in push for Ukraine support
Sir Keir Starmer was speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force conference in Estonia where he met leaders of Baltic states.
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Your support makes all the difference.The Prime Minister is set to visit British troops serving on Russia’s border as he says Ukraine will require more funding and capability.
Sir Keir Starmer was speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) conference in Estonia where he met leaders of other Baltic states.
After signing an energy partnership with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Bergen, Sir Keir flew to Estonia where he spoke alongside Mr Store and their Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal.
Asked what else could be done to support Ukraine, Sir Keir said: “There is an ever-increasing demand for more capability. That is understandable, and Ukraine needs all the capability that it can get, so I think all of us have put in more capability into Ukraine by way of equipment.”
He added: “A lot of money has been raised, funding has been raised, but more is going to be needed.”
The Prime Minister’s also discussed making the economic case at home for continued support for Ukraine.
Defence spending doesn't sort of sit in a silo over here with no effect on the rest of the economy
Sir Keir said: “Making the case on the significance of Ukraine, making the case, to double down, linking it back to each of our countries – what does it mean for us if Russia succeeds, is a really important question that we have to answer with our people to make it clear why it is that we are so supportive of Ukraine, why it is that we must stand with our allies on this, why it is we must make sure that Nato is put in the strongest position as well.
“Now, this is a different world to the world of 10, 20 years ago, to recognise the world that we are living in, there’s a positive case as well to be made.
“Defence spending doesn’t sort of sit in a silo over here with no effect on the rest of the economy, no effect on technology.
“It has a huge effect on technologies, the cutting edge of technology and change which can then be used in other areas.
“It binds countries together. I think all of us have got joint projects on in terms of defence capabilities that bind us together. There’s a huge number of well-paid jobs that are very important to our economy in defence spending as well.
“But we have to make that positive case. I don’t personally feel that we can sort of sit back and assume that all of those in our respective countries necessarily accept all of our arguments unless we make them in that positive way, which I do think the argument can and should and must be made.
“But the challenge that you put to us is the right challenge, which is it’s very difficult when finances are tight, as they are in all of our countries.”
On Tuesday morning the Prime Minister will meet Taavi Madiberk, the founder of Estonian tech start-up manufacturing low-cost air defence missiles, Frankenburg Technologies, which is planning to open a new office in London
Specialising in the manufacture of the missiles, the rapidly growing company already collaborates closely with the UK defence industry, sourcing a significant portion of its subsystems locally, including from propulsion specialists Roxel in Worcestershire.
The Prime Minister will again attend the JEF summit, joining leaders from the Nordics and Baltics to discuss support for Ukraine, the sustained threat posed by Russia and wider European security.
He will then visit British forces serving in the region to deter malign Russian threats.