Starmer and Zelenskyy ‘agree strong resolve’ for peace ahead of Trump-Putin talks

Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ben Stansall/PA)

Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelenskyy have said there is “strong resolve” for peace in Ukraine ahead of highly anticipated talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders expressed cautious optimism about the prospect of a truce “as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious” about ending the war, as they met on Wednesday, a Downing Street statement said.

In a separate statement, Mr Zelenskyy said there had been discussions about the security guarantees required to make any deal “truly durable if the United States succeeds in pressing Russia to stop the killing”.

Mr Starmer hosted the Ukrainian president for a private breakfast in No 10 on Thursday as Europe braces for the face-to-face meeting between the US president and his Russian counterpart in Alaska on Friday.

European leaders are hopeful about the potential for a ceasefire after a joint call with Mr Trump on Wednesday, during which he reportedly told them his goal for the summit was to secure a ceasefire.

But concerns linger over the prospect of Kyiv being excluded from negotiations over its own future, and pressured to cede territory, after the US leader suggested any agreement may need to involve “swapping of land”.

Ukraine has already rejected any proposal that would compromise its borders.

In a readout of the morning meeting between Mr Starmer and Mr Zelenskyy, a Downing Street spokesman said: “They had a private breakfast, where they discussed yesterday’s meetings.

“They agreed there had been a powerful sense of unity and a strong resolve to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after their meeting at 10 Downing Street (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

The Ukrainian president, who was warmly embraced by the Labour leader, with a red carpet rolled out for his arrival in Downing Street, said the meeting had been “good” and “productive”.

But he urged the UK to join PURL- Nato’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List initiative, to provide weapons to Kyiv.

“It is important that, within the framework of the coalition of the willing, we should all be able to achieve effective formats for security cooperation,” he said.

“We also discussed the continuation of support programs for our army and our defense industry. Under any scenario, Ukraine will maintain its strength.

“Keir and I also talked about such mechanisms for weapons supplies as the PURL programme, and I urged the UK to join.”

It comes as The Times newspaper reported that Britain was planning to scale back its plans for a military peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

British military chiefs are now said to be involving air reassurance over western Ukraine, training support to the Ukrainian military and the clearance of mines from the Black Sea.

Further sanctions could be imposed on Russia should the Kremlin fail to engage and the UK is already working on its next package of measures targeting Moscow, he said.

“We’re ready to support this, including from the plans we’ve already drawn up to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased,” Mr Starmer told allies on Wednesday.

“It is important to remind colleagues that we do stand ready also to increase pressure on Russia, particularly the economy, with sanctions and wider measures as may be necessary.”