The former Labour leader said the UK and other Western nations were “only going to prolong and exaggerate this war” by giving more weapons to Kyiv. In a staggering interview on an Arabian news channel, the Islington North MP failed to condemn Putin’s actions and called for a peace settlement to be reached with Moscow.
Speaking to the Al Mayadeen media network, he said: “We might be in for years and years of a war in Ukraine.”
“What I find disappointing is, that hardly any of the world’s leaders use the word ‘peace’.
“They always use the language of more war and more bellicose war.
“Ukrainians are dying, Ukrainians are going into exile, thousands and thousands.
“And Russian soldiers are dying, conscripted young Russian soldiers are dying.
“This war is disastrous for the people of Ukraine, for the people of Russia and for the safety and security of the whole world.”
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out signing any peace agreement with Putin that requires his country to cede land to Russia.
He has pleaded with ally nations to continue helping to supply the weapons Ukraine needs in order to fight off the invasion from Moscow.
Russia initially invaded Ukraine in 2014 when it annexed Crimea.
Putin has now turned his attention to securing control of breakaway regions of the country in the east.
In an apparent dismissal of Mr Zelensky’s determination to protect his country, Mr Corbyn said it was time for both Ukraine and Russia to negotiate a peace deal.
He said: “There are many forums around the world that have no direct economic interest, one way or the other, between Russia and Ukraine who might be able to broker a peace.
“But there has to be a peace.
“Otherwise, what are we looking at? People in Ukraine just being killed, Russian soldiers just being killed, and a devastation on the economies of all those countries.”
Multiple rounds of talks on ceasefires were held shortly after Putin first invaded Russia’s democratic neighbour.
Negotiations were held about a pause to fighting to allow civilians to flee.
However, Russian troops repeatedly failed to observe the temporary break with women and children looking to escape still targeted.
The latest intervention from the former Leader of the Opposition comes after earlier this year he attempted to blame NATO rather than Putin for the breakout of war.
Addressing a virtual rally, he said NATO’s military build-up in Eastern Europe provoked Moscow.
“It is incredibly dangerous, and it is the US, with British support, that is leading the way on this,” he said in February just days before the invasion.
“I think the build-up of a military presence on the borders of NATO to Russia is something that will only encourage the development and increasing presence of troops on the other side of the border.”
More to follow…
