Keir Starmer to host key Ukraine talks as Donald Trump hints at ‘one thing good’ taking place
Keir Starmer will convene talks of the coalition of the willing – a group of over 30 nations committed to policing any peace deal between Ukraine and Russia – on Tuesday
Keir Starmer is to host a key meeting of allies as Donald Trump hinted at “something good just may be happening” in Ukraine peace talks.
The PM will convene talks of thecoalition of the willing – a group of over 30 nations committed to policing any peace deal – on Tuesday. The countries have pledged to guarantee Kyiv’s security if a deal is struck with Vladimir Putin’s Russia to end Moscow’s bloody invasion.
Over the weekend there was alarm in Ukraine, the UK and European capitals over a leaked US 28-point peace plan to end the brutal conflict in Ukraine. It floated major concessions to Moscow, including cutting the size of Ukraine’s armed forces and abandoning any plans to join Nato membership.
But after officials from Europe, Ukraine and the US met for key talks in Geneva on Sunday the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there had been “tremendous” progress. He said there were “positive contributions to ensuring that this plan can be accepted by both the European and Ukrainian sides”.
READ MORE: Donald Trump rants at Ukraine for showing ‘zero gratitude’ over peace plan
Overnight the US President also suggested “something good just may be happening”. He posted on social media: “Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine??? Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Pressed on whether he was hopeful of progress on Ukraine, Mr Starmer told reporters on Monday: “Talks in Geneva are ongoing, and we are making progress, and that is a good thing. Everybody is absolutely focused on what we need to get out of this, and that is a just and lasting peace.
“Both of those words matter. It’s got to be just, and obviously matters for Ukraine have to be determined by Ukraine, but it’s also got to be lasting and it’s got to endure.” He added: “There’s more work to do. As you know, along with President Macron, I’ve been leading the coalition of the willing, which is a group of countries that have put in place support for Ukraine, particularly capability, and I’m now planning that we will meet virtually tomorrow.
“So we will host a coalition of willing call to further discuss the progress that is being made, and I hope, can be made, towards the thing that matters above all else, which is a just and lasting peace, which matters for Ukraine, but it also matters for all of us, because the conflict in Ukraine has had a direct impact here in the United Kingdom. So progress, yes, more work to do, but we’ve all got our sleeves rolled up, ready to put in those hard yards, hopefully to get to the right outcome.”
Earlier the PM’s official spokesman said Keir Starmer “welcomes the significant progress made” at meetings in Geneva. Pressed on whether there was deep disagreement between Washington and Europe over the proposed peace plan, the PM’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister obviously welcomes the significant progress made at yesterday’s meetings between the US and Ukraine in Geneva.
“As the US-Ukraine joint statement makes clear, yesterday’s talks were a major step towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. We welcome the significant efforts of President Trump and Zelensky and their teams to get to this point. Of course, there are some outstanding issues, but as both countries have set out, intensive work on the peace plan will continue in the coming days and weeks. You can expect the Prime Minister to continue his engagement with world leaders this week.”
