Keir Starmer insisted he is working with Ukraine on a ‘plan to stop the fighting’ as European allies struggled to respond to Donald Trump’s extraordinary bust-up with Volodymyr Zelensky.
Speaking after a crisis summit in London, the PM said the world was at a ‘crossroads in history’ and he wanted to forge a way forward that could be presented to the US.
Positioning himself as a bridge to the White House, Sir Keir told a press conference that he still regarded America as a ‘reliable ally’. ‘We agree with the president on the urgent need for a durable peace… now we need to deliver,’ he said.
However, he stressed that ‘any deal must be backed by strength’ and ‘every nation must contribute in the best way it can’.
The comments came after European leaders spent hours trying to thrash out a strategy after the grim scenes in the Oval Office on Friday night.
After embracing Mr Zelensky on the steps of Lancaster House in London, the PM told him ‘we are all with you’ and urged the gathering to step up to a ‘once in a generation moment’.
Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni were present as Britain, France and Italy look set to take key roles in a ‘coalition of the willing’ to enforce any peace deal with Russia. The UK and Paris have both pledged to provide troops on the ground if necessary.
The leaders – also including Germany, Canada, Poland, Denmark and Sweden – have been signalling a ramping up of defence spending.
Sir Keir has been warned they must recognise the ‘brutal reality’ of the US pulling back from military guarantees.
This evening he announced a deal that will allow Ukraine to use £1.6billion of export finance to buy more than 5,000 air defence missiles.
The premier told a press conference that the missiles ‘will be made in Belfast, creating jobs in our brilliant defence sector’.
The summit was already planned before the on-camera slanging match with Mr Trump and his vice president JD Vance.
Mr Trump is said to be demanding a public apology from the Ukrainian president amid threats to pull the plug on US military support.
In a sign he is keen to mend fences with the US, Mr Zelensky has described the president’s support for Ukraine as ‘crucial’.
However, the UK’s ambassador to Washington, Lord Mandelson has warned he will need to take a different approach in a ‘reset’ to get the alliance ‘back on the same page’.
The New Labour architect suggested Mr Zelensky should ‘commit to a ceasefire and defy the Russians to follow’, despite concerns that Vladimir Putin will simply use a pause to re-arm and try again.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has been trolling the woes of Nato by jibing that US policy now ‘largely coincides with our vision’.
Speaking after a crisis summit in London, Keir Starmer said the world was at a ‘crossroads in history’ and he wanted to forge a way forward to present to the US
Keir Starmer embraced Volodymyr Zelensky on the steps of Lancaster House in London as they try to repair alliances in the wake of the debacle
Front row, left to right: Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Poland’s PM Donald Tusk. Centre row from left: Spain’s PM Pedro Sánchez, Denmark’s PM Mette Frederiksen, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President Antonio Costa, Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau and Romania’s interim President Ilie Bolojan. Back row from left: Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, Netherlands PM Dick Schoof, Sweden’s PM Ulf Kristersson. Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Norway’s PM Jonas Gahr Store, Czech Republic’s PM Petr Fiala, Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni and Turkey’s foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The PM told the gathering they must step up to a ‘once in a generation moment’
Keir Starmer shook hands with Emmanuel Macron on the steps of Lancaster House in London as they look to shore up Nato and the continent’s defences from Russian aggression
Sir Keir and Mr Macron are thought to be taking the lead on drawing up new proposals for guaranteeing any peace deal with Russia
The summit – also being attended by Mr Zelensky – was already planned before the on-camera slanging with Mr Trump and his vice president JD Vance
The summit in London today was already planned before the extraordinary on-camera slanging match between Donald Trump, his vice president JD Vance and Mr Zelensky (pictured)
Sir Keir and Giorgia Meloni met for the second time in the day, after holding talks in No10 this morning
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has joined the gathering of leaders in London this afternoon
Nato chief Mark Rutte arriving for the summit in Lancaster House today
There have been calls for Mr Trump’s invite for an unprecedented state visit to the UK to be withdrawn, although No10 is adamant that will not happen. Sir Keir said this morning that it was a ‘matter for the King’.
Mr Zelensky is heading for an audience with the King at Sandringham this evening, in another show of solidarity.
Kicking off the behind-closed doors talks at Lancaster House, Sir Keir told fellow leaders: ‘In my conversations in recent days, we agreed a group of us will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, and then discuss that with the US and take it forward together.’
Ukraine’s allies need to also continue their support in the moment, Sir Keir stressed. ‘Even while Russia talks about peace, they are continuing their relentless aggression,’ he said.
Speaking to broadcasters outside Lancaster House, EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen said Ukraine must have the ‘means to fortify and protect itself’ in economic and military terms.
She added that ‘therefore the focus is not only on the military supply but also for example securing their energy system’.
She also revealed she will present ‘a comprehensive plan to rearm Europe’ on Thursday.
Ms Meloni said that in a ‘precious moment’ it is ‘very important to talk to each other, to co-ordinate’.
She said: ‘We are all very committed about a goal that we all want to achieve, which is a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
‘I think it is very, very important that we avoid the risk that the West divides. I think on this the UK and Italy can play an important role in bridge-building.’
European leaders have been voicing solidarity with Mr Zelensky, who was warmly embraced by Sir Keir in Downing Street last night, as they try to find a way of repairing relations.
In an interview earlier this morning, the PM said he ‘trusted’ the US president and believed he wants a ‘lasting peace’.
Sir Keir said he was trying to act as a ‘bridge’ to resolve the differences and had ‘hit the phones’ in the wake of the extraordinary bust-up in Washington.
He told the BBC‘s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that powers including France had now agreed to work together with Ukraine to draw up a potential peace deal with Russia, which would be presented to America.
Sir Keir suggested that ‘a coalition of the willing’ would have to guarantee any settlement on the ground, hinting that hopes of the US providing a security backstop have dwindled.
Pro-Ukraine demonstrations were taking place outside Downing Street today
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen was embraced by Sir Keir at the summit today
Polish PM Donald Tusk is among the leaders at the summit today
Earlier, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni was greeted warmly by Keir Starmer outside the famous black door of Downing Street
As they prepared for bilateral talks, the PM insisted that they approached issues from the ‘same mindset’
Keir Starmer told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that powers including France had now agreed to work together with Ukraine to draw up a potential peace deal with Russia, which would be presented to America
They are also racing to fill the potential gap in European defences from the abrupt withdrawal of the world’s largest military and economic power.
Sir Keir said he was ‘rolling up my sleeves’ rather than ‘ramping up the rhetoric’ in response to the scenes in Washington.
‘I was in my office, and nobody wants to see that. Later that day, I then picked up the phone to President Trump, and I picked up the phone to President Zelensky, because, to my mind, focus has to be a lasting peace in Ukraine,’ he said.
He added: ‘Look, nobody wants to see that. Clearly, you know, there’s a lot of tension. The cameras were on.’
Sir Keir continued: ‘My driving purpose has been to to bridge this, if you like, and get us back to the central focus. And as a result of the meeting yesterday, we had quite a long time with President Zelensky, then President Macron and President Trump on the phone.
‘We’ve now agreed that the United Kingdom, along with France and possibly one or two others, will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, and then we’ll discuss that plan with the United States.’
The PM said he ‘felt uncomfortable’ watching the Oval Office footage but added: ‘The important thing is how to react to that. There are a number of different routes people could go down. One is to ramp up the rhetoric as to how outraged we all are or not.
‘The other is to do what I did, which is roll up my sleeves, pick up the phone, talk to President Trump, talk to President Zelensky, then invite President Zelensky for an extensive meeting yesterday, a warm welcome, and then further pick up the phone to President Macron and President Trump afterwards.
‘Because my reaction was we have to bridge this. We have to find a way that we can all work together. Because, in the end, we’ve had three years of bloody conflict. Now we need to get to that lasting peace.’
Of Mr Trump, the premier added: ‘I am clear in my mind that he does want a lasting peace.’
Sir Keir said: ‘What I am clear about is that if there is to be a deal, if there is to be a stopping of the fighting, then that agreement has to be defended, because the worst of all outcomes is that there is a temporary pause and then Putin comes again.
‘That has happened in the past, I think it is a real risk, and that is why we must ensure that if there’s a deal it is a lasting deal, not a temporary pause.’
A security guarantee from the Americans is the subject of ‘intense’ discussion, Sir Keir said.
He added: ‘For me, the components of a lasting peace are a strong Ukraine to fight on, if necessary, to be in a position of strength; to negotiate a European element to security guarantees, and that’s why I’ve been forward-leaning on this about what we would do; and a US backstop.
‘That’s the package, all three parts need to be in place, and that’s what I’m working hard to bring together.’
Pressed on why trusts Mr Trump, he said: ‘Because I’ve spoken to him a number of times. I’ve got to know him. I’ve had extensive discussions with him and I believe his motivation is lasting peace.’
He added: ‘If the central question you’re putting to me is do I trust Donald Trump when he says he wants lasting peace? The answer to that question is yes.
‘But, also, take a step back, the relationship between the US and the UK is the closest relationship of any two countries in the world, our defence, our security, our intelligence, are bound up one with another in a way that is not seen anywhere else in the world.’
Asked if he would trust Vladimir Putin, he said: ‘Well, no, I wouldn’t trust Putin, which is why I want a security guarantee.
‘I wouldn’t trust him not to come again, because he’s proven that he will come again. He’s already done it and we know what his ambitions are.’
Lord Mandelson told the ABC news channel that Mr Zelensky must ‘give his unequivocal backing to the initiative that President is taking, to end the war and to bring a just and lasting peace to Ukraine’.
‘I think that Ukraine should be the first to commit to a ceasefire and defy the Russians to follow,’ he said.
Sir Keir is positioning himself as a bridge between Europe and Mr Trump after his successful visit to the White House last week.
Sir Keir pledged this week to raise the UK’s defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, slashing the aid budget to free up the funding.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is also expected to cut £5billion from welfare and allow the £28billion national wealth fund to be invested in defence projects.
The summit comes after several days that saw the foundations of the Nato alliance – that has helped avoid world war for 80 years – shaken.
Ms Meloni said that in a ‘precious moment’ it is ‘very important to talk to each other, to co-ordinate’
The clash between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky in the Oval Office was broadcast around the world on Friday, with the US President accusing his counterpart of ‘gambling with World War Three’ after Russia invaded.
It resulted in Ukraine’s president being kicked out of the White House and a deal to exchange mineral rights for further US military support put on ice.
Mr Trump said he would not be welcome until he was willing to talk about ‘peace’.
Reports in the US media suggested Mr Trump was even considering halting all aid to Kyiv after the meeting.
European leaders have rallied in a show of solidarity with Ukraine, while Sir Keir has repeatedly spoken to both presidents over the phone.
The PM welcomed Mr Zelensky to Downing Street yesterday in a meeting described as ‘meaningful and warm’ by the Ukrainian leader.
The two men embraced as they met, and again later as they parted, and Sir Keir took the unusual step of walking Mr Zelensky to his car, instead of waving him goodbye from the front step of No10.
Ms Reeves has signed a loan agreement worth £2.26billion with her Ukrainian counterpart, to pay for further military support and the rebuilding of Ukraine in future.
The UK hopes to recoup the costs from frozen Russian assets locked in bank accounts across Europe.
Mr Zelensky is expected to meet the King at his Sandringham estate in Norfolk this evening after attending the summit.
The embattled Ukrainian leader meets Charles days after Mr Trump was offered an unprecedented second state visit to the UK as part of a charm offensive aimed at winning the US president’s support.
Sir Keir spoke to Mr Trump last night for the second evening in a row, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron, as he seeks to be a bridge across the Atlantic and smooth out the ongoing division between Western allies.
Mark Rutte, Nato secretary general, told the BBC he urged Mr Zelensky to repair his relationship with the US president in a Friday-night phone call, as the alliance’s members ‘need to stick together’ against Russia.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned in a Telegraph newspaper article that America’s commitment to Europe ‘cannot now be taken for granted’, after urging Sir Keir to push for ‘concrete’ pledges during the summit.
