Talks on Ukraine must not happen without Kyiv at the table – Starmer

Talks about ending the war in Ukraine must not take place without Kyiv at the table, Sir Keir Starmer has said, after the US and Russia kickstarted negotiations without inviting Volodymyr Zelensky.

The UK Prime Minister, who will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington next week, said first-hand experience of visiting the war-torn country had made him “more determined to stand up for Ukraine”.

The message comes ahead of a White House visit that will be a critical moment in Sir Keir’s leadership, amid a growing transatlantic rift after Mr Trump’s team met Kremlin officials to discuss ending the war.

Bloodshed

Speaking at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday, he said: “Nobody wants the bloodshed to continue, least of all the Ukrainians.

“But after everything that they have suffered, after everything they have fought for, there can be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine, and the people of Ukraine must have a long-term, secure future.”

He added: “I’ve seen first-hand the devastation (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has caused.

“Mark my words – what I have seen only makes me more determined to stand up for Ukraine.”

Speaking to reporters after his speech, Sir Keir said of the US visit: “At the centre of our discussions this week will obviously be the importance of the special relationship between us, and obviously the situation in Ukraine and other issues of common concern.”

At the weekend, he and his Cabinet reiterated their backing for Kyiv and warned a weak peace deal would cause damage far beyond Ukraine, saying that including a US security guarantee to deter Russia attacking again is in America’s own interest.

The Prime Minister also held his second call in three days with Ukrainian President Mr Zelensky, promising the leader he would make the case for safeguarding the country’s sovereignty when he visits Washington.

Following US demands that Europe shoulder the overwhelming burden of security on the continent, Sir Keir is also expected to use the trip to confirm a timeline to raise UK defence spending to 2.5% of national income.

Speaking to broadcasters on Sunday’s morning media round, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the UK would significantly increase its commitment from the current 2.3% share of gross domestic product (GDP) and urged other allies to “step up alongside that”.

Ambitious

Asked whether the Prime Minister would promise Mr Trump that the UK will spend “much more” when he meets him next week, Ms Phillipson told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “Let’s be clear, 2.5% is ambitious.

“We will get there, but it is ambitious, and this is also in the context of the public finances which, let’s be honest, were left in a devastating state by the Conservatives – a £22 billion black hole, no credible plan for this nonsense that they claim around how they were going to reach 2.5%.”

Speaking to Times Radio, she also suggested the UK ultimately needs to go further than the 2.5% target, which the previous Tory government had pledged to reach by 2030.

Asked whether the figure was enough, she said: “No it’s not enough, we do need to go further, we recognise that.

“We recognise we need to go further, as do our allies, both in reaching that 2.5% commitment, but making sure we do everything that is necessary to keep our country safe.”

Opposition parties have pressured the Government to speed up its work to meet the target after the US and Russia met in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine without involvement from Kyiv.

European countries have also expressed concerns about being sidelined from the process.

Ms Phillipson suggested Sir Keir would raise the way in which talks have taken place during his Washington visit when it was put to her that Europe has been locked out of discussions.

She told Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme: “Well this is of course what the Prime Minister will be discussing with President Trump next week – how we can work with the US administration to ensure that lasting settlement.

“We want to play a key role in this but of course the US are right to take a lead on bringing people to the table, and a Ukrainian voice will be central to any lasting settlement because without Ukrainians as part of that, it just won’t endure.”

Diplomatic bridge

Sir Keir will seek to position the UK as a bridge between the US and Europe on his visit next week, as tensions simmer after Mr Trump launched an extraordinary verbal attack on Mr Zelensky.

Mr Trump called him a “dictator” on Wednesday and later said Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron, who will also visit the White House next week, “haven’t done anything” to end the war.

Some European leaders have openly condemned Mr Trump’s remarks about Ukraine, which have included suggesting Kyiv “started” the war, and Sir Keir has faced pressure to challenge the president when he visits Washington.

The Prime Minister, with other European allies and UK opposition parties, has backed Mr Zelensky as a “democratically elected leader” but has avoided directly criticising Mr Trump.

The Education Secretary backed the US president’s pursuit of talks with Russia on Sunday, saying: “It will require negotiation with the Russians through part of the settlement, so I do think that is the right approach.”

But she added: “There can be no settlement unless we have a negotiation involving both Russia and Ukraine.”

Asked why ministers were unable to challenge Mr Trump more robustly, including on his remarks about Mr Zelensky, Ms Phillipson said: “I think the facts speak for themselves. We know that President Zelensky was elected with a mandate from the Ukrainian people. We respect that.”

Meanwhile, shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge has said Mr Trump was “wrong” to claim Mr Zelensky is a “dictator”.

State visit

Reports suggested the Prime Minister is also expected to deliver an invitation for a state visit to Mr Trump – a known admirer of the royal family – during his trip to Washington.

Asked whether he would be doing so, he told reporters in Glasgow on Sunday: “In terms of state visits, that’s a matter for his majesty the King, but I can guarantee that when I’m over there next week, as President Trump has done in every conversation I’ve had with him, he’ll be talking about Scotland, as he always does.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he will announce new sanctions to “turn the screws” on Russia on Monday to coincide with the anniversary of the war.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump used a wide-ranging speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (Cpac) in Washington on Saturday to say he thought “we’re pretty close to a deal”.

“We better be close to a deal because that has been a horrible situation,” he added.

Mr Zelensky has said his country will not accept any outcome from talks that have taken place between Moscow and Washington since Kyiv was excluded from the discussions.