Buoyed by his talks with Donald Trump on Thursday, Keir Starmer will continue his diplomatic blitz with a summit of European leaders in central London on Sunday
Keir Starmer will host top European leaders for talks in London as the push to end the war in Ukraine enters a critical phase.
Buoyed by his talks with Donald Trump on Thursday, the Prime Minister will continue his diplomatic blitz with a summit on Sunday on brokering a lasting peace in Ukraine and wider European security.
Mr Starmer is also expected to host Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street for a one-to-one meeting the same day. It comes as the Ukrainian leader was due to visit the White House today, where he’s expected to agree a deal on sharing Ukraine’s mineral resources.
Mr Trump last night tried to pretend he hadn’t called the Ukrainian President a “dictator”, saying: “Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that”. He insisted he had a “very good relationship” with Mr Zelensky – and Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin.
He even insisted he would help Ukraine regain land lost after Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion started three years ago – despite recently suggesting the Moscow maniac could keep what he had already occupied
The PM is pushing to show Mr Trump that Europe can step up – as he battles to persuade him not to abandon the continent to Russian aggression. On Sunday, he will chair a call with Baltic countries – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – before also welcoming Italian PM Giorgia Meloni to Downing Street.
Mr Starmer will then convene European leaders for a summit, which is expected to include France’s Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. No10 said the PM would use the summit to drive forward European action on Ukraine to secure a lasting peace deal.
Speaking alongside Mr Trump at a press conference in the White House’s lavish East Room, the PM said: “You’ve created a moment of tremendous opportunity to reach a historic peace deal. A deal that I think would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world.
“But we have to get it right. It can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor or that gives encouragement to regimes like Iran. We agree history must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader. So, the stakes, they couldn’t be higher. We’re determined to work together to deliver a good deal.
“We’ve discussed a plan today to reach a peace that is tough and fair. That Ukraine will help shape. That’s backed by strength to stop Putin coming back for more. I’m working closely with other European leaders on this and I’m clear the UK is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal.”
