Starmer and Trump discuss Ukraine and Gaza in pre-Christmas call

Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to US President Donald Trump for what will likely be their final phone call of 2025.

The two leaders discussed the war in Ukraine, the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the appointment of a new ambassador to Washington DC when they spoke on Sunday afternoon, according to No 10.

Giving a readout of their call, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister spoke to the president of the United States, Donald Trump, this afternoon.

“The two leaders began by reflecting on the war in Ukraine.

“The Prime Minister updated on work by the coalition of the willing to support any peace deal and ensure a just and lasting end to the hostilities.

“Turning to the Middle East, the leaders discussed the situation on the ground in Gaza.”

The appointment of Christian Turner as the UK’s ambassador to the USA will “further deepen the relationship between the two countries”, the Prime Minister is said to have told Mr Trump, who spoke to Sir Keir from Mar-a-Lago, his estate in Florida.

Veteran diplomat Mr Turner, currently the UK’s permanent representative to the United Nations, will take the job vacated by Lord Mandelson, who was sacked by Sir Keir in September after the extent of his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was revealed.

The call between the Prime Minister and Mr Trump comes just three days after the US government began releasing huge swathes of images and documents from the so-called “Epstein Files”.

The US president has faced pressure from his own supporters to publish the files, a request he had resisted for weeks.

The trove of documents, including court records, footage and images, was uploaded on Friday night to the US Department of Justice website.

It included images of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who in one photo appears to have been pictured reclining across the legs of five people with his head near a woman’s lap.

Elsewhere in the call between Sir Keir and Mr Trump, the leaders are said to have given one another their best wishes ahead of Christmas.

“The leaders wished each other a Merry Christmas and looked forward to speaking again soon,” the No 10 spokeswoman said.