Britain and France have offered to send troops to Ukraine to help secure any truce and Starmer said others were also prepared to join a multinational force in the country. This week there were signs that the coalition was broadening after 20 countries took part in discussions hosted by the UK.

Since he entered Downing Street, Sir Keir Starmer has been under attack for his inadequate leadership. To his many critics, he is just a typical progressive metropolitan lawyer, with no real convictions beyond his faith in judicial activism.

Officials from around 20 largely European and Commonwealth countries took part in the latest talks about a peacekeeping coalition.