Starmer says allies must ‘get this right’ ahead of crunch Ukraine talks
Sir Keir Starmer has said allies must “make sure” there is “fair” and “just” peace in Ukraine as he travelled to Washington to support Volodymyr Zelensky in crunch talks with Donald Trump.
The Prime Minister and other European leaders will seek to persuade the US president not to push for a settlement which rewards Vladimir Putin’s aggression, but also secures US security guarantees for any military peacekeeping force from the so-called “coalition of the willing”.
The meeting will come after Donald Trump suggested the Ukrainian president would have to accept there was “no getting back” Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, and that Ukraine would not be allowed to join the Nato alliance.
Lasting peace
In a video posted on X, Sir Keir said of the conflict: “Everybody wants it to end, not least the Ukrainians.
“But we’ve got to get this right. We’ve got to make sure there is peace, that it is is lasting peace and that it is fair and that it is just.
“That’s why I’m travelling to Washington with other European leaders to discuss this face to face with President Trump and President Zelensky, because it’s in everyone’s interests, it’s in the UK’s interests that we get this right.”
The Prime Minister will be joined by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italy’s leader Giorgia Meloni and Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland.
Nato chief Mark Rutte and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen are also attending.
In a message on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said President Zelensky “can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight”.
He said there would be “no going into Nato by Ukraine” – keeping its neighbour out of the alliance and its mutual defence pact has been one of Russia’s key aims.
‘Irreversible path’
But Sir Keir, along with other Nato leaders, has said Ukraine is on an “irreversible path” to membership of the security alliance.
“Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to the EU or Nato,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said on Monday.
Asked if Mr Trump could have a veto, the spokesman repeated that “our position on Ukraine and Nato hasn’t changed” and that Ukraine is on “irreversible path” to membership.
He said No 10 is working “hand in glove” with Mr Trump on Ukraine, when asked if Sir Keir was confident the US leader would not try to veto membership.
The security guarantees the US has signalled it is willing to provide will be an “important aspect of the discussions” at the White House today, he said.
Mr Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff has suggested that measures similar to Nato’s Article 5 mutual defence provision could be offered by the US without Kyiv joining the alliance.
‘Game-changing’
Mr Witkoff, who took part in the talks between Mr Trump and Russian president Mr Putin last week, said it “was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that” and called it “game-changing”.
“We were able to win the following concession: That the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in Nato,” Mr Witkoff told CNN.
Mr Zelensky said any peace deal must be lasting “not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East – part of Donbas – and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack”.
He said: “Russia must end this war, which it itself started. And I hope that our joint strength with America, with our European friends, will force Russia into a real peace.”
Mr Trump has appeared to drop his calls for a ceasefire after a summit in Alaska with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Mr Putin has long refused to agree to a ceasefire as a precondition for talks to end the war, prompting fears that Russia could continue gaining ground in Ukraine as negotiations take place.
No 10 appeared to suggest that Sir Keir could back a peace deal without a ceasefire.
“We want to see an end to the killing. If you can bring about an end to the killing and bring about a sustained peace in one go, then all the better,” his spokesman said.
But Ukraine must determine whether it wants to cede land to secure a deal, he said, stressing that “international borders must not be changed by force”.
Concessions
At the White House, Mr Zelensky is expecting to face calls from the US president to concede to full Russian control of Donetsk and Luhansk, two mineral-rich regions of Ukraine that are mostly occupied by Vladimir Putin’s forces.
In exchange for these demands, the Russian president would reportedly withdraw his forces from other areas of Ukraine and accept the Nato-like guarantee designed to prevent him launching further incursions.
Ahead of their Oval Office encounter, the allies are likely to be mindful of the previous occasion Mr Zelensky visited Mr Trump in the White House.
February’s public spat, which saw US vice-president JD Vance accuse Mr Zelensky of not being thankful enough to the US, resulted in American aid to Ukraine being temporarily halted.
Mr Trump will again host Mr Zelensky in the Oval Office before a separate meeting with the European leaders.
Russia continued to carry out “demonstrative and cynical” strikes ahead of the meeting, the Ukrainian leader said.
Mr Zelensky posted on X: “Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts.
“That is precisely why we are seeking assistance to put an end to the killings. That is why reliable security guarantees are required. That is why Russia should not be rewarded for its participation in this war.”
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Trunp should NOT put US troops on the ground in Ukraine.
How about UN peacekeeping boots, with all captured territory run by the UN in a no-score draw.
My fellow Americans back in the United States largely do NOT want US troops on the ground in the Ukraine (this risks a face-off with Russian troops (the feeling is troops from EU should cough up their own troops)) – many Americans are sick to the back teeth of their country spending more money and resources on solving the Ukraine issue. Also, the feeling is this is a European problem and the EU should step up and shoulder the burden that is the Ukraine. Trump should walk away if Ukraine/Russia don’t reach an agreement.
Gentle reminder that America is responsible for this situation. When the Soviet Union fell the new Russia wanted to be friends with everyone but the Americans needed an enemy to justify giving huge amounts of tax dollars to their own arms industry which senior folks all had shares in.
You break you pay.
Nope – there is minimal support back home for substantial US further involvement/resources. At a minimum the United States expects payment for further US weapon supplies – even that is stretching public support and patience.
Should’ve thought about that before unilaterally deciding to become “Team America: World Police”.
Yikes!
The Anglospherists, MAGA’s, Britnats, are really falling out with each other today! 😉
A pleasure to behold eh?! 😉
But to be fair, when the criticisms come thick fast the US can’t really win can it? It gets it in the neck for self appointing itself ‘World Policeman’, interfering everywhere… But then it also gets it in the neck when it doesn’t do its job well enough… ‘Please help us, we can’t do without you, you’re letting us down’, is then the all too familiar refrain…
“America is responsible for this situation”, what a ridiculous statement. ‘Gentile reminder’: The invasion of Crimea occurred in 2014 during Obama’s time as President, and the fuller invasion occurred under Biden’s administration in 2022 so had little to do with Trump. The current supply of weapons to Ukraine is placing strain on America’s stock piles – it has to end – and public opinion here (vis-à-vis America) largely demands it.
‘Biden’s war’… – Donald Trump.
Hey! You’ve changed your tune Bryce! I thought you said it was solely ‘Putin’s’ war? But I’m so glad you’ve got it right at last! 😉
That was a huge mistake Bryce – I totally agree.
That’s not realistic. There will be some form of Russia keeping at least some territory.
Why? They have more land than any other country in the world. If this is about NATO on the border then a UN managed DMZ will work fine.
Because Putin, as bad as it sounds, has to ‘sell’ the final agreement/capture of land back home/to ‘his people’. All the dead and injured Russian soldiers for no captured land? So, it is not realistic that he won’t want some land including the current captured land or a chunk of it.
Many in Brexit Britain are ‘unrealistic’ about the situation in Ukraine, and about what’s possible in politics and the world in general. There is still a residual post imperial mindset which believes that all things are possible if you’re a Brit. A misguided belief that because ‘we won the war’ we can do it again if called upon, and if needs be.This frame of mind, this confidence and conviction, goes deep into the English psyche to this day. They have ‘never lost a war’, never been defeated, in their own understanding of history. Not true of course. But they believe… Read more »
Well said.
If he wants the land for legitimate purposes then he should make a fair offer for it. Otherwise Russians look like thieves.
In the context of Ukraine Russia is the thief.
Well the Anglospherists would know everything about that wouldn’t they 😉
Well the days of taking over nations, like the British did, should be over in this day and age but, for example, Russia clearly doesn’t agree. 😉
Trump could put enough pressure on putin to get out. But it looks like his is a Russian asset. This is bad.
How about the EU supplying pressure? Oh hang on: the EU has been/is still buying quantities of gas from Russia and in affect helped/helping-still to finance Putin’s war machine. ALSO, why doesn;’t the EU threaten India/China with secondary sanctions too? All talk but little action on the part of the EU. Back home there is increasingly no support for this war, it has to end.
Putin wants peace so bad he murdered more innocents overnight. He targeted civilians with ballistic missiles he cares for peace so much.
And trump telling Ukraine to end it, the idiot thinks Ukraine started it by defending themselves, he really is thick.
Russia can start a ceasefire now by withdrawing.
And Witkoff, way out of his depth and a security risk on a massive scale. Trump got handed his backside by putin in Alaska and is starting to follow putins suggestions to stop mail voting.
Starmer must stop the state visit.
Starmer hasn’t got the wherewithal, moral courage, to ‘stop’ anything.
Starmer working hand in glove with Trump? We’ll see him in a MAGA hat soon!