I’ll back Ukraine in talks with Trump, Starmer tells Zelensky

Sir Keir Starmer will focus on the significance of Ukraine’s sovereignty in talks with Donald Trump subsequent week, he stated in a name with the nation’s president.

The UK prime minister reiterated the UK’s “ironclad help” for Kyiv when he spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday.

The 2 leaders held their second phone dialog in 4 days following US President Trump’s resolution to re-open relations with Russia and search an finish to the battle in Ukraine.

Monday marks three years since Vladimir Putin’s invasion, which UK International Secretary David Lammy stated he’ll mark with additional sanctions on Russia.

On Saturday, 2,000 folks marched to the Russian embassy in west London , i n help of Ukraine forward of the anniversary of the invasion.

In response to a Downing Avenue spokesperson the prime minister additionally stated “Ukraine should be on the coronary heart of any negotiations to finish the battle” and it may ensure of “the UK’s dedication to securing a simply and enduring peace to carry an finish to Russia’s unlawful battle”.

Giving particulars concerning the telephone name, Downing Avenue stated Sir Keir and Zelensky “agreed that this was a major second for the way forward for Ukraine and European safety at massive”.

Sir Keir additionally advised Zelensky “that safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty was important to discourage future aggression from Russia”.

The prime minister added “he could be progressing these essential discussions within the coming days and weeks, together with with Trump while visiting Washington DC subsequent week”.

Zelensky stated he had a productive speak with Sir Keir, with the pair coordinating “our navy cooperation, joint steps, and engagements for the approaching week, which will probably be very lively”.

In a put up on X, he wrote: “The UK and its individuals are amongst Ukraine’s greatest supporters, and we deeply recognize this.”

Writing within the Solar Sir Keir stated Trump was proper that European nations should take better accountability for his or her safety and enhance defence spending.

“We have now talked about this for lengthy sufficient. Now it’s time for motion.

“President Trump can also be proper to understand the nettle and see if a great peace deal is on the desk.

“Each time I’ve spoken with him, I’m struck by his dedication to peace,” he wrote.

Sir Keir additionally stated Ukraine should have a voice in negotiations and wanted sturdy safety ensures, including: “I imagine America should be a part of that assure.”

In a separate name on Saturday Sir Keir spoke with European Fee president Ursula von der Leyen and so they agreed Europe “should step up for the great of collective European safety”, Downing Avenue stated.

The UK overseas secretary stated upcoming extra UK sanctions on Russia would erode President Putin’s “navy machine”.

“I plan to announce the biggest package deal of sanctions in opposition to Russia because the early days of the battle,” Lammy stated, forward of Monday’s anniversary.

The UK will proceed to work with the US and Europe to realize “sustainable, simply peace,” he added.

Sir Keir’s assembly with Trump on Thursday in Washington DC comes after every week which noticed a flurry of summits and telephone calls as European leaders scrambled to work out the way to method the US president’s sudden thawing of relations with Russia.

Forward of visits to the White Home by Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump stated the pair “have not achieved something” to finish the battle in Ukraine.

He additionally stated Zelensky had “no playing cards” in peace negotiations and that he didn’t assume “he is crucial to be in conferences”.

However UK Defence Secretary John Healey wrote in The Sunday Occasions newspaper: “Any negotiations about Ukraine can’t occur with out Ukraine. All of us need the combating to finish, however an insecure peace dangers extra battle.”

He added: “I am pleased with UK management and UK unity on Ukraine.”

Final Monday, European leaders held a hastily-arranged summit in Paris – a day earlier than US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, and amid fears that Ukraine and Europe could possibly be excluded from peace negotiations.

On Tuesday, Trump known as Zelensky a “dictator” and stated he ought to “by no means have began” the battle, regardless of Russia invading Ukraine.

Zelensky responded by saying the US president was “dwelling in a disinformation house” created by Russia.

On Saturday, folks took to the streets of London in response to the US place on Ukraine, marching from outdoors the Ukrainian embassy to the Russian embassy.

Margaret Owen, 93, accused Trump of “appeasement”, saying she remembered the Munich Settlement through which western powers signed a cope with Hitler within the years earlier than World Struggle Two.

“It is outrageous. We will not let the world be dictated to by these two inconceivable folks,” she stated of Trump and Putin.

The chair of the Commons overseas affairs choose committee, Emily Thornberry, was among the many marchers and argued for a much less aggressive method. The Labour MP stated: “We need to affect the US president and we agree there should be peace. Why shout at him?

“You’d get a short-term buzz from shouting at Trump however if you wish to affect him, let’s attempt to affect him.”

“Ukraine must be on the desk, you may’t resolve the way forward for Ukraine with out Ukraine there and you’ll’t simply capitulate to Putin.

“They need to be invited into this course of by the Individuals and Russians.”

Ukrainian Oleksandra Udovenko, who’s from Kyiv and finding out within the UK, stated: “I am right here to guard my nation’s pursuits, my nation’s independence, and my nation’s selection and my nation’s proper to be unbiased of any empire on this world.”