Starmer calls Trump and Macron after meeting Ukraine’s Zelensky
Sir Keir Starmer spoke with US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron after welcoming Volodymyr Zelensky to Downing Street.
The calls took place after the Prime Minister insisted Ukraine had “full backing across the United Kingdom” in a No 10 meeting with the country’s president, the PA news agency understands.
Sir Keir also told the Ukrainian leader that Britain stands with his nation “for as long as it may take”.
The Prime Minister’s call to Mr Trump comes after the US president’s unprecedented public clash with Mr Zelensky in the White House’s Oval Office.
During the diplomatic blowout broadcast around the world, Mr Trump claimed his Ukrainian counterpart was “gambling with World War Three”.
Thankful
The Ukrainian leader was also accused of not being thankful enough for US military aid by both the US president and his vice president JD Vance, after he attempted to question some of their claims.
The spat has shaken the foundations of Nato, with European allies rallying to Ukraine’s side, while Mr Trump’s American backers have insisted he was standing up for their country’s interests.
Media reports from the US suggested Mr Trump considered cutting off all aid to Ukraine following their clash.
The Prime Minister’s call with Mr Trump is the second in two days, as he seeks to act as a bridge between Europe and America and keep the transatlantic Nato alliance together.
In contrast with the terse exchange in the Oval Office, Mr Zelensky praised his meeting with the Prime Minister as “meaningful and warm”.
Sir Keir, who usually stands at the doorstep of No 10 to greet world leaders, walked towards Mr Zelensky to meet him as he arrived.
They then shared a hug before approaching the famous black door of No 10 together.
A group of pro-Ukrainian demonstrators could be seen outside the gates of the street, and were heard to cheer as Mr Zelensky’s convoy drove by.
“That is the people of the United Kingdom coming out to demonstrate how much they support you and how much they support Ukraine,” Sir Keir later told Mr Zelensky at the top of their meeting in Downing Street’s White Room.
Loan agreement
At the end of their meeting, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her Ukrainian counterpart Sergii Marchenko signed a £2.26 billion loan agreement to support Kyiv’s military and the costs of rebuilding after the war.
Ministers expect the loan will be repaid with the profits from frozen Russian assets.
European leaders will join Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky in central London on Sunday for a defence summit.
The gathering, which has gained renewed impetus after the Oval Office clash, is aimed at preparing Europe for how it will police any future peace in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister believes a deal will have to involve US military assets providing surveillance, intelligence and potentially warplanes giving air cover to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching another bid to conquer his neighbour.
The King will also meet with the Ukrainian leader on Sunday as part of his visit to Britain.
Ahead of the summit, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the Prime Minister should push European leaders for “concrete things” to help Ukraine, such as Germany granting Kyiv permission to use its Taurus missiles.
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Clark should order MI5 to reveal the Putin’s Tory assets from Fat Shanks down…
47 is spiteful. He tried to strong arm the President of a country to dig dirt on Biden as 45. When that failed, 45 was impeached. And 45/47 holds grudges. For a long time. That and putins script is what played out in the Whitehouse. You don’t deal with 47, you get taken for a ride. Just look at all he has attacked since taking office, he is using that power to go afttre people that have spoken the truth. How is the 47 whisperer in the UK anyway? How is 47’s best mate in the UK that gets flights… Read more »
Meanwhile Denmark and Norway are refusing to re fuel US Navy ships.
Oh, 47 spare tries to go skiing and they are out protesting at his attack on President Zalenski and sharing directions to which resorts he is fleeing to. Way to go US people with sense.
Meanwhile Musk is advocating leaving nato and the UN.
That stinking glandular secretion has way too much power…lock him up…
One lesson to be taken from these recent events is that Europe can no longer rely on the protection which has been afforded by NATO for the last seventy-five years. At the least, not with the certainty and to the degree that Europeans were once able to assume.