Starmer and Macron to discuss ‘united leadership’ supporting Kyiv on Trump visit

Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron have agreed to discuss showing “united leadership” in backing Ukraine against Russian aggression on visits to the US this week, Downing Street said.

The Prime Minister and the French president used a phone call on Sunday afternoon to reiterate their support for Kyiv three years on from Moscow’s invasion as the two men prepare to separately meet Donald Trump.

Both European leaders will be seeking to contain a growing transatlantic rift after the US president hit out at Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, and White House officials met Kremlin counterparts to discuss ending the war.

Number 10 said Sir Keir and Mr Macron agreed that Ukraine must be at the heart of any negotiations regarding its own future.

On the eve of the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, they discussed how “we must all work together” to put the country in a strong position at “this crucial moment in global security”, a readout said.

“The Prime Minister repeated the UK’s steadfast commitment to support Ukraine for as long as needed and reiterated the importance of Ukraine being at the centre of any negotiations to end the conflict,” Downing Street said.

“The UK and Europe must continue stepping up to meet their security needs and show united leadership in support of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, which they would both discuss in the US in the coming week.

“The leaders agreed to stay in close contact.”

Sir Keir will seek to position the UK as a bridge between the US and Europe on his visit next week as tensions simmer after Mr Trump called Mr Zelensky a “dictator” and suggested Kyiv had “started” the war.

The Ukrainian leader later accused Mr Trump of living in a “disinformation space” after US-Kremlin talks about bringing the conflict to an end, at which neither Kyiv nor other European countries were present.

On Sunday, Mr Zelensky said he would be ready to give up his presidency if doing so would achieve lasting peace for his country under the security umbrella of Nato, which the US has effectively ruled out.

Admission of new nations to the military bloc requires unanimous approval from existing members.

Some European leaders and opposition figures have openly condemned Mr Trump’s remarks about Ukraine and Sir Keir has faced pressure to challenge the president when he visits Washington.

The Prime Minister has backed Mr Zelensky as a “democratically elected leader”, but avoided directly criticising the US president.

At the weekend, Sir Keir and his Cabinet warned that a weak peace deal would cause damage far beyond Ukraine, saying that including a US security guarantee to deter Russia from attacking again is in Washington’s own interest.

Speaking at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday, the Prime Minister said: “Nobody wants the bloodshed to continue, least of all the Ukrainians.

“But after everything that they have suffered, after everything they have fought for, there can be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine, and the people of Ukraine must have a long-term, secure future.”

He added: “I’ve seen first-hand the devastation (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has caused.

“Mark my words – what I have seen only makes me more determined to stand up for Ukraine.”

The Prime Minister also held his second call in three days with Mr Zelensky, promising the Ukrainian leader he would make the case for safeguarding the country’s sovereignty when he visited Washington.

After US demands that Europe shoulder the overwhelming burden of security on the continent, Sir Keir is also expected to use the trip to confirm a timeline to raise UK defence spending to 2.5% of national income.

Speaking to broadcasters on Sunday’s morning media round, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the UK would significantly increase its commitment from the current 2.3% share of gross domestic product (GDP) and urged allies to “step up alongside that”.

Asked whether the Prime Minister would promise Mr Trump that the UK will spend “much more”, Ms Phillipson told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “Let’s be clear, 2.5% is ambitious.

“We will get there, but it is ambitious, and this is also in the context of the public finances which, let’s be honest, were left in a devastating state by the Conservatives – a £22 billion black hole, no credible plan for this nonsense that they claim around how they were going to reach 2.5%.”

She said Mr Trump was right to engage Mr Putin in talks about a potential peace settlement and that his approach had “brought the Russians to the table”.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge has said Mr Trump was “wrong” to claim Mr Zelensky was a dictator, but he agreed with the US leader’s calls for Europe to ramp up defence spending.

Reports suggested the Prime Minister is also expected to deliver an invitation for a state visit to Mr Trump, a known admirer of the royal family, during his trip to Washington.

Sir Keir told reporters in Glasgow on Sunday: “In terms of state visits, that’s a matter for His Majesty the King, but I can guarantee that when I’m over there next week, as President Trump has done in every conversation I’ve had with him, he’ll be talking about Scotland, as he always does.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he will announce new sanctions on Monday to “turn the screws” on Russia to coincide with the anniversary of the war.

Mr Trump used a wide-ranging speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (Cpac) in Washington on Saturday to say “we’re pretty close to a deal”.

“We better be close to a deal because that has been a horrible situation,” he added.

Mr Zelensky has said his country will not accept any outcome from talks between Moscow and Washington because Kyiv was excluded from the discussions.