Starmer tells Trump Ukraine must be put in ‘strongest possible position’

Sir Keir Starmer spoke to Donald Trump ahead of the US president’s crunch talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

The Prime Minister told Mr Trump that Ukraine must be put in the “strongest possible position” in order to secure a “just and lasting peace” in the war with Russia.

Mr Trump and his Russian counterpart spoke on Tuesday about the US-Ukraine plan for a 30-day ceasefire.

Following a call between Sir Keir and Mr Trump on Monday night, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister updated the president on his coalition of the willing call with international leaders that took place on Saturday.

“He reiterated that all must work together to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to secure a just and lasting peace.”

Sir Keir and French president Emmanuel Macron have been leading efforts to form a “coalition of the willing” made up of nations prepared to offer troops or support to a peacekeeping force if there is a deal to end the war.

Mr Putin has said he agrees in principle to a ceasefire but has put a series of conditions on any peace plan.

The US president said Washington and Moscow have already begun discussing “dividing up certain assets” between Ukraine and Russia as part of a deal to end the conflict, which could include Mr Putin being handed land and power plants by Kyiv.

Such a move would cause unease in Europe, being seen as a reward for Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.

Asked if the UK would be prepared to accept Russia being handed sovereignty over the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “We’ve always been clear that how, and on what terms, this war comes to an end can only be decided by negotiations with Ukraine at the heart of them.”