Western leaders to work on Ukraine ceasefire and present plan to Trump, says Starmer

The UK, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States, the prime minister has said, in the wake of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s White House clash with Donald Trump.

Sir Keir Starmer, who visited Washington on Thursday, said he believes Mr Trump does want a “lasting peace” between Russia and Ukraine.

He also said Europe is in a “moment of real fragility” and he would not trust the word of Vladimir Putin.

Follow live – UK hoping Ukraine peace plan can get ‘back on track’ at London summit

Referring to the argument in the White House’s Oval Office on Thursday between Mr Trump, US vice president JD Vance and Ukrainian president Mr Zelenskyy, the PM said it made him feel “uncomfortable”.

“Nobody wants to see that,” he told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

He added: “We have to find a way that we can all work together. Because, in the end, we’ve had three years of bloody conflict. Now, we need to get to that lasting peace.”

The prime minister said he was in his office when the White House shouting match began to be broadcast.

“Clearly, you know, there’s a lot of tension,” he said. “The cameras were on.”

Later in the evening he phoned both Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy, saying his “driving purpose” is to “bridge this and get us back to the central focus”.

On Saturday, the PM said he had “quite a long time with President Zelenskyy” before speaking to Donald Trump and French president Emmanuel Macron on the phone.

“We’ve now agreed that the United Kingdom, along with France and possibly one or two others, will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, and then we’ll discuss that plan with the United States,” he said.

Of Mr Trump, he said: “I am clear in my mind that he does want a lasting peace.”

Asked why that was, he said: “Because I’ve spoken to him a number of times. I’ve got to know him. I’ve had extensive discussions with him and I believe his motivation is lasting peace.”

He added: “If the central question you’re putting to me is do I trust Donald Trump when he says he wants lasting peace? The answer to that question is yes.”

The PM said he was still pushing for a US “backstop” on Ukrainian security, adding that it was the subject of “intense” discussion.

The “components of a lasting peace”, he said, include a “strong Ukraine to fight on, if necessary, to be in a position of strength”.

And he is pursuing a “European element to security guarantees”.

“That’s why I’ve been forward-leaning on this about what we would do – and a US backstop,” he said.

“That’s the package: all three parts need to be in place, and that’s what I’m working hard to bring together.”

Asked if he would trust Vladimir Putin, Sir Keir said: “Well, no, I wouldn’t trust Putin, which is why I want a security guarantee.

“I wouldn’t trust him not to come again, because he’s proven that he will come again. He’s already done it and we know what his ambitions are.”

Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said his party would support sending British troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers in the event that a “credible” deal is struck.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said European nations need to “make sure that America does not disengage”, adding: “If we all get dragged into an escalation, America will get dragged into it eventually.”

She described Volodymyr Zelenslyy as a “hero” and said her heart “went out to” him during the on-camera argument at the White House.

“I watched it and I couldn’t believe what was happening,” she said. “He was being humiliated.”

Such “difficult conversations” should not happen in front of the cameras, she added.

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The UK is holding an international defence summit on Sunday, hosting the leaders of Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Canada, Finland and Romania.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Sir Keir Starmer it is “very, very important that we avoid the risk that the West divides” as she arrived for talks at Number 10.

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte, and Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan will also attend the summit.

It is hoped the meeting will help to get things “back on track”, a government source has told Sky News.

However, they admitted there will be “more ups and downs” ahead.

“We must keep our eyes on the prize.”

The insider added that the government was “working yesterday to get [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy back to the table” and finish the minerals deal with the US.

That was thrown into question on Friday during the clash at the White House.

The source said: “We think it’s the right thing to do. Today is about getting European leaders to go beyond the Twitter rhetoric and step up on defence spending – prepare now for a world with no US security guarantee for Europe, not just in Ukraine.”