British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barraud jointly accused Russia on Friday of deliberately stalling American-mediated peace efforts to end the war in Ukraine, as Moscow continues its military offensive.

Key Developments:

1. Military Deployment Plans

• French FM Barraud announced that military leaders from both countries will visit Kyiv to discuss potential troop deployments to enforce any future ceasefire agreement.

• "At some point, military capability will be needed when peace is achieved – which is why our commanders are going to Kyiv today to advance this effort," Barraud stated.

2. Allegations of Russian Delaying Tactics

• Barraud: "For the past three weeks, Russia has been evasive while continuing strikes on energy infrastructure and committing war crimes."

• Lammy: "Our assessment is that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin continues to obfuscate and delay... He could agree to a ceasefire today, but instead persists in bombing Ukraine’s civilians and energy supplies."

3. Western Commitments

• Lammy reaffirmed the UK’s long-term support:

  • "We are committed to ensuring Ukraine is in the strongest possible military and economic position... Sanctions on Russia will remain until Moscow engages seriously in peace talks."