BRITAIN still stands for war in Ukraine, ministers assured MPs in a bid to quash speculation that the government might be shifting towards supporting negotiation.

Foreign Office minister Catherine West told the Commons today that the government was stepping up its “iron-clad” support to Kiev in continuing the fight against Russia.

“There is no change in the UK position,” Ms West said, adding that Ukraine must “achieve a just peace on its own terms” and only the Ukrainian government could determine what those terms were.