Trump and Europe want ‘same thing’ for Ukraine, Starmer says

Donald Trump and European leaders want the “same thing” for Ukraine with a “just and lasting” ceasefire, Sir Keir Starmer insisted as precarious peace efforts surrounding a US-led plan to end the war with Russia continue.

The Prime Minister said there were a “number of issues still to be resolved” but dismissed suggestions his optimism had been frayed ahead of chairing a call with allies in the coalition of the willing on Thursday.

It came as Nato chief Mark Rutte warned that Europeans must be ready for war on the scale faced by their “grandparents or great-grandparents”.

Sir Keir was asked during a visit to Norfolk whether there was a chance of progress being made into the weekend, or whether his hopes had been “worn down”.

He said: “No, we do need to make progress.

“And what President Trump wants, what Ukraine wants, what Europeans want is the same thing, which is a just and lasting peace in Ukraine after the nearly four-year aggression from Putin and Russia.”

He added: “So we’re working towards that aim.

“Obviously there are a number of issues still to be resolved, but I’m very clear in my mind that we support Ukraine in this fight, not of their making.

“They’ve paid a very heavy price. If there is to be a ceasefire and I hope there is, the Ukrainians want that above all else, it must be just and it must be lasting.”

It comes after Sir Keir, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke to Mr Trump on Wednesday as the US relationship with Europe faces severe strain.

The US president said they had discussed proposals to end the war in “pretty strong terms”, and that European leaders would like a meeting this weekend with both the US and Ukraine, adding that he thought Mr Zelensky “has to be realistic” about the war.

“We’ll make a determination depending on what they come back with,” Mr Trump told reporters during a question-and-answer session at the White House.

Downing Street said all the leaders had agreed it was a “critical moment” for the future of Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security, adding: “Intensive work on the peace plan is continuing and will continue in the coming days.”

The Prime Minister will co-chair a call with Mr Zelensky, Mr Macron, Mr Merz and leaders and officials from around 30 other nations later, during which they will discuss “the latest on the US-led peace talks,” No 10 said.

The UK and French-led group of countries known as the coalition of the willing has pledged to support Ukraine and deter Russia in the event of a ceasefire.

Planning for a potential peacekeeping force has been “detailed” and included reconnaissance missions to Ukraine to determine “what units we might deploy, how and what their roles might be,” a No 10 spokesman said.

“The Prime Minister has been clear that we’re ready to put troops on the ground following the end of hostilities,” he told journalists on Thursday.

Meanwhile, progress has been made in behind-the-scenes meetings between national security advisers including the UK’s Jonathan Powell, according to British officials.

Mr Zelensky, who reiterated his opposition to ceding land and resisted US pressure for concessions to Russia earlier this week, said his team was due to hand its latest peace proposals to American negotiators on Wednesday.

Ukraine’s European allies are supporting his efforts to ensure that any settlement is fair and deters future attacks from Moscow, as well as accommodating the continent’s defence interests.

Mr Trump has been critical of Ukraine’s European allies, denigrating them as “weak” leaders of “decaying” nations failing to “produce” anything as “the war just keeps going on and on”.

The US national security strategy, published earlier this month, said “the Trump Administration finds itself at odds with European officials who hold unrealistic expectations for the war perched in unstable minority governments, many of which trample on basic principles of democracy to suppress opposition”.

Mr Zelensky said Ukraine would hold talks with the US on plans for post-war reconstruction and economic development.

Kyiv is also working on a 20-point document “that could define the parameters for ending the war”.

Along with Thursday’s coalition of the willing talks, Mr Zelensky said: “This week may bring news for all of us – and for bringing the bloodshed to an end.”

Nato secretary general Mr Rutte warned on Thursday that conflict is “at our door”.

“Russia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured,” he said.

Asked about the remarks, Downing Street stressed the UK’s commitment to boosting its national security protection and defence spending.

“The national security of this country is clearly the number one priority of this Government… I’ll just point you to the commitments that we have made on defence spending as clear evidence of just how seriously we take that commitment,” a No 10 spokesman said.