Keir Starmer told MPs ‘the US is vital in securing the peace we all want to see in Ukraine’ and Donald Trump was ‘sincere’ in his commitment to ending the Russia-Ukraine war
Donald Trump mounted an extraordinary attack on European leaders as Keir Starmer sought to reassure MPs that the US President wants a Ukraine peace deal.
After days of frantic diplomacy, the Prime Minister told MPs “the US is vital in securing the peace we all want to see in Ukraine” and Mr Trump was “sincere” in his commitment to ending the Russia-Ukraine war. But as the PM addressed Parliament, Mr Trump took a swipe at European leaders for calling for US support against Vladimir Putin.
He also deepened his rift with Volodymyr Zelensky, saying “America will not put up with it for much longer” after the Ukrainian President said the end to the war is “very, very far away”. It comes after the US President and his crony JD Vance triggered a global outcry by berating the war-time leader in the Oval Office on Friday.
Mr Trump took to his Truth Social platform to attack both Mr Zelensky and European leaders, who were gathered by Mr Starmer in London on Sunday to bolster support for Kyiv. Pointing to Mr Zelensky’s claim that a deal to end the war with Russia remains far off, he said: “This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer.
“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US – probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?”
The comments are at odds with Mr Starmer and other European leaders, who believe that US backing is the only way to deter Putin invading Ukraine again. Frantic talks, led by Britain and France, are underway to hammer out a plan to present to the American President. French President Emmanuel Macron has floated the idea of a limited one-month ceasefire, but Downing Street said that nothing has been agreed.
Mr Starmer said he was prepared to deploy British peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, alongside a “coalition of the willing” from other countries. He said: “Britain will play a leading role with, if necessary and together with others, boots on the ground and planes in the air. It is right that Europe do the heavy lifting to support peace on our continent, but to succeed, this effort must also have strong US backing.”
He agreed with Tory MP Andrew Murrison that it would be “utter folly” to send British troops into Ukraine without US backing. The PM said: “That’s why I’m working so hard on security guarantees that are worthy of the name. That is a forward leaning European element, but with a US backstop, which is vital if it’s to act as a guarantee.”
Mr Starmer said it was “totally unserious” to pick sides between the US and Europe, adding: “We will never choose between either side of the Atlantic.” Describing the US as an “indispensable ally”, he said: “I also welcome the President’s continued commitment to that peace, which nobody should doubt for a second is sincere.”
The PM also signalled that MPs could have a vote on whether to send troops but said the situation is “nowhere near that stage”. The proposed minerals agreement – which Mr Trump suggested could act as a backstop to a peace deal – was “not enough” of a security guarantee alone, Mr Starmer said.
The agreement appeared to be done for after Mr Trump kicked Mr Zelensky out of the Oval Office following a heated clash on Friday. But the Ukrainian President has since said he would be open to signing it.
The Prime Minister said Mr Zelensky was “taken aback” by the huge show of support from the public when he visited the UK at the weekend. Describing the “moving scenes” when crowds cheered Mr Zelensky in Whitehall, the PM said: “I saw for myself he was taken aback when the crowd in Whitehall cheered at the top of their voices, and they were speaking for the whole of our country. A reminder that this government, this House, but this nation stand in unwavering support behind him and the people of Ukraine.”
In a rare show of unity, MPs lined up to approve the PM’s actions to secure peace for Ukraine. However Mr Starmer took a swipe at Reform leader Nigel Farage, who earlier said Mr Zelensky had been “rude” and “unwise” in the Oval Office. After Mr Farage suggested Ukraine should accept the minerals deal, the PM told him: “Can I just remind him that Russia is the aggressor, Zelensky is a war leader whose country has been invaded and we should all be supporting him and not fawning over Putin.”
Defence Secretary John Healey is expected to visit the US later this week to meet his counterpart Pete Hegseth as the UK pushes to get peace talks back on track. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Luke Pollard slapped down US ambassador Peter Mandelson for suggesting that Ukraine should commit to a ceasefire before Russia.
Lord Mandelson said a “very radical reset” was needed following the Oval Office row, with Mr Zelensky “giving his unequivocal backing to the initiative that President Trump is taking to end the war”. But Mr Pollard said: “That’s not Government policy.”
It comes as the King met Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Sandringham after being hailed for showing solidarity to the Ukrainian President. Charles appeared to give a hearty laugh as they shook hands in a meeting in the saloon at Sandringham House.
The King and Mr Trudeau would have likely discussed plans being made for the monarch, also King of Canada, to visit the country as part of a North American tour next Spring. Charles, who has invited Mr Trump to pay an unprecedented second state visit to the UK, is increasingly being seen as a unifying figure through the royal family’s so-called “soft power” diplomacy.
Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to make neighbouring Canada the 51st state of America, claiming that without a massive subsidy from the US it “ceases to exist as a viable country”. Mr Trudeau, who flew to London to attend the emergency summit of European leaders, said he would raise his concerns on the matter with Charles.
