Sir Keir Starmer has urged Donald Trump to stand by Ukraine with a security guarantee as he warned a bad peace deal would be a “disaster for everyone”.

The prime minister is due to meet the US president for talks in Washington DC next week amid fragile relations between America and Europe after Mr Trump launched a verbal attack on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The US president called Ukraine’s leader a “dictator” on Wednesday and later said Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron, both of whom will visit the White House in the coming days, “haven’t done anything” to end the war.

Sir Keir said a good peace “can only be won through strength” and Ukraine “must have a voice in negotiations about its future”.

And he warned that a “peace deal which does not stop Putin from attacking again would be a disaster for everyone”.

Writing in The Sun on Sunday, he said Kyiv needs strong security guarantees “so the peace will last” and America “must be part of that guarantee”.

This could mean providing air defence and a promise that the US will come to the aid of a NATO country if Russia attacks them, the paper reported.

So far, talks aimed at ending the war have been taking place between US and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia, which have not included the Ukrainians.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey has said “any negotiations about Ukraine cannot happen without Ukraine. We all want the fighting to end, but an insecure peace risks more war”.

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‘Turn the screws’ on Russia

The third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is on Monday.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said he will unveil new sanctions to “turn the screws” on Russia on Monday to coincide with the anniversary.

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Sir Keir also said the UK must increase its defence spending and play a bigger role in NATO.

And he is open to British troops playing a role in any European force in Ukraine after a peace agreement.

He added: “This is not something I say lightly.”

Sir Keir, along with other European allies and UK opposition parties, has backed Mr Zelensky as a “democratically elected leader”.

Also, Washington has warned that Europe must shoulder more of the cost of its own security.

Sir Keir is expected to use his upcoming trip to the US to confirm a timeline to raise UK defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) in a bid to ease tensions.

It comes amid pressure from defence chiefs and opposition critics including Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who wrote to the prime minister on Saturday demanding he set out a plan for meeting the target.

:: Education secretary Bridget Phillipson, campaigner for global health and education Sarah Brown, and shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge will be discussing all the latest political stories in the UK and around the world on the Trevor Phillips on Sunday show on Sky News from 8.30am

A three-year-old girl has died after a collision between a tram and a van in Manchester city centre.

The girl was taken to hospital but died from her injuries, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

“No arrests have been made and inquiries are ongoing,” the force said.

The child was a pedestrian and was not travelling in either the tram or van, GMP said.

The fatal collision happened on Mosley Street shortly before 10am, a Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) spokesperson said.

“All of our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. We are supporting police with their investigation,” a statement said.

A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson said two ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and two air ambulance crews attended the scene.

TfGM said there was continued disruption across the Metrolink after the incident and advised people to check the Bee Network website and app for the latest travel information.

Manchester‘s Bee Network said: “Due to a road traffic collision on Mosley Street in the city centre, no tram services are operating between St Peter’s Square and Piccadilly Gardens.”

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An X post from GMP’s traffic officers said: “Our officers are currently in attendance at a collision, involving a tram and another vehicle in Manchester city centre.

“We are presently trying to establish the circumstances however we envisage there will be a lengthy closure of surrounding streets near to St Peters Square.”

Specialist drones have been deployed to look for a missing runner as police warn volunteers not to join the search.

Jenny Hall, 23, was last seen leaving her home in Barracks Farm, County Durham, in her car just after 3pm on Tuesday.

Durham Constabulary said her last known location was on the B6278 between Stanhope and Eggleston – where her red Ford Focus was parked.

As the major search operation entered its fourth day on Saturday, police said officers – along with search and mountain rescue teams – will be working in Hamsterley Forest and the surrounding areas to look for any trace of her.

Specialist drones have also been brought in as the latest tool in the search.

“We want to thank the public for their ongoing support and whilst we appreciate the offer of volunteers, we would ask that people do not join the search themselves as this could disturb the ongoing work and potentially distract expert sniffer dogs,” police said in a statement.

Chief Inspector Dean Haythornthwaite said families out in the forest should “allow those officers the space to carry out their search and try not to disrupt that search area”.

Ms Hall is described as white and 6ft tall with dark brown hair.

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She was last seen wearing a blue hoodie with a John Deere logo and dark jogging bottoms.

Her family told police she may have been carrying a green jacket and had her hair up in a ponytail.

On Friday, officers said they were becoming “increasingly concerned” as the search concentrated on running trails between Eggleston and Hamsterley used regularly by Ms Hall.

More than 100 miles of track have been searched in the Teesdale area by officers, the rural community and local landowners.

Digital intelligence officers have also carried out extensive inquiries into Ms Hall’s mobile phone, smart watch and running apps, but the force said “none have yielded any results unfortunately”.

Anyone who believes they may have seen Ms Hall or has any relevant information about her whereabouts is asked to contact police.