Streeting warns Putin could trigger world war by mistake as he calls for military-level communications with Russia to help avoid ‘miscalculation’

Wes Streeting has warned that a miscalculation could cause a wider European war, and said he wants more direct communication between British and Russian armed forces to reduce that risk. His comments come amid frozen relations following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and renewed US-led efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict.

Russian and Ukrainian officials have begun two days of US-brokered talks, with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner mediating; European representatives have also met separately with Ukraine and the US. Russia holds about a fifth of Ukraine, and the sides remain far apart: Moscow is pressing for Ukraine to surrender all of Donbas, while President Zelensky rejects giving up territory. Russian advances have slowed this year, and previous predictions by Donald Trump that a deal was near have not produced an agreement.