Starmer stresses support for Ukraine ahead of Trump-Zelensky talks

Talks on Ukraine should progress towards a “just and lasting peace”, Sir Keir Starmer has told European leaders, as Volodymyr Zelensky prepares to meet US President Donald Trump.

In a call with German and French leaders on Friday, the Prime Minister said it remained “a crucial moment for Ukraine and security across the Euro-Atlantic region” as they emphasised their “unwavering commitment” to Ukraine.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the leaders “reiterated their unshakeable commitment for a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and the importance that talks continue to progress towards this in the coming days”.

Sir Keir’s call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron comes as Ukraine’s president is expected to head to the US on Sunday.

Mr Zelensky said he would meet Mr Trump in Florida over the weekend to discuss security guarantees, saying a peace plan is “about 90% ready”.

He added that he expected to discuss an “economic agreement” and “territorial issues” with Mr Trump, and said he hoped European leaders could also be involved in talks either on Sunday or at a future date.

The talks in Florida are the latest stage in Mr Trump’s year-long effort to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine, having previously said he would end the war on the first day of his term in office.

On Christmas Eve, Mr Zelensky said the US and Ukraine had reached a consensus on a number of critical issues, and indicated he was open to creating a demilitarised zone on his country’s eastern border with Russia.

But he has continued to resist Russian demands that Ukraine give up two of its eastern regions, Luhansk and Donetsk.

Russia is also likely to object to a role for Nato forces in monitoring a ceasefire, which European leaders including Sir Keir and Mr Macron have said must form part of any deal.

Other European demands include allowing Ukraine to maintain a peace-time military of 800,000 troops and join the EU, while the US has reportedly offered unspecified security guarantees.

Meanwhile the conflict continues, with Russian missile and drone strikes hitting Ukraine early on Friday, while Kyiv claimed it had used British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to attack a major Russian oil refinery on Thursday.