UK MPs and public figures call to ‘halt escalation in Ukraine’
A group of British lawmakers and public figures, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, MP Diane Abbott, and legendary musician Brian Eno, has called on the US and UK to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict. The appeal comes after Washington and London allowed Kiev to launch long-range missile attacks deep into Russian territory.
In an open letter published by The Guardian on Tuesday, the group expressed deep concern over the growing risk of a much larger conflict. “This rapid escalation seriously threatens an all-out military confrontation with Russia and NATO,” they wrote.
Ukraine has recently used US-made ATACMS missiles and British-supplied Storm Shadows to strike the Russian regions of Bryansk and Kursk. Moscow responded by deploying its new hypersonic Oreshnik missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, against a Ukrainian military facility in Dnepropetrovsk. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the conflict has taken on a “global character.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said a political and diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine conflict was still “a very long way off.” He criticized the US and its allies for continuing to arm Ukraine with long-range missiles and suggested the West was fixated on securing a strategic defeat for Russia.”
Lavrov reiterated that Moscow would respond decisively to such moves, warning, “all those responsible for causing damage to Russian citizens and infrastructure will receive the punishment they deserve.”
OHe also emphasized that any future diplomatic settlement must address the root causes of the conflict, including NATO’s expansion and the treatment of Russian speakers in Ukraine.
The public figures who signed the letter also warned that the risk of a nuclear escalation could not be ruled out. “The British government has to take responsibility for its actions and these terrible consequences,” they wrote. “Securing an end to this horrific conflict is crucial.”
They called for diplomacy and dialogue to replace military escalation, urging leaders like US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to commit to peace talks with Russia and Ukraine.
