Keir Starmer will address the nation after gathering European allies in London to hammer out a way to end the war in Ukraine after Donald Trump’s attack on Ukraine’s Zelensky
LIVE: European Leaders Summit: Sir Keir Starmer press conference
Keir Starmer will give a press conference shortly after holding crisis talks with European leaders on ending the war in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister is expected to address the nation at around 5pm. Leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte gathered at Lancaster House in London today to forge a common position on finding peace for the war-torn country.
It comes as European leaders rallied around Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelensky after he was berated by Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in an ugly confrontation in the Oval Office on Friday. In scenes that reverberated around the world, Mr Trump ranted at Mr Zelensky: “You don’t have the cards right now,”.
He then turfed the Ukrainian President out of the White House, cancelling a planned press conference. “Come back when you’re ready for peace,” Mr Trump said in a statement afterwards,
The extraordinary clash dealt a hammer blow to hopes of a peace deal – and the PM’s efforts to persuade Mr Trump to provide US firepower as a back up to European peacekeeping forces to deter Vladimir Putin from invading again. Mr Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron both failed to extract a commitments to a US security guarantee from the President in separate meetings at the White House this week.
Mr Starmer welcomed Mr Zelensky to Downing Street on Saturday with a warm hug, in a show of support for the Ukrainian leader. Mr Zelensky has also been invited to meet the King today at Sandringham.
Earlier, the PM told leaders gathered at Lancaster House that “this is a once in a generation moment for the security of Europe and we all need to step up.” He said that getting a good outcome for Ukraine is “vital to the security of every nation here and many others too”.
