Party's support for NATO 'unshakeable', stresses UK Labour leader

UK Labour leader, Keir Starmer on Friday said that his party's support of NATO had been "unshakeable'' since the foundation of the North Atlantic military alliance in 1949.

He claimed that his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn was wrong in opposing its expansion.

"Let me be very clear, the Labour Party has never wavered in its support of NATO.

Our policy had never changed. Jeremy Corbyn was wrong about that but the Labour Party policy never shifted under his leadership,'' Starmer told Sky News broadcaster.

The leader of the opposition in the UK Parliament said that he had travelled to Brussels two weeks ago to tell NATO secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg that the Labour Party's support remained "unshakeable.''

Starmer also accused Russian President, Vladimir Putin of "wanting NATO and our allies divided,'' and advocated for imposing further economic sanctions against Russia in response to its military operation in Ukraine.

"We must stand firmly with Ukraine,'' he said.

On Thursday, the United Kingdom imposed new sanctions against Russia over Moscow's special operation in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that people's republics in Donbas had asked Russia for help.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation was targeting the military infrastructure of Ukraine while the civilian population was not in danger.