Keir Starmer appeared sidelined at tonight's crunch meeting between Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders, as the Ukrainian leader begins the long negotiations for peace. Sir Keir made a last-minute decision on Sunday afternoon to jet out to Washington DC for the talks, rumoured to have been forced to cut a rare holiday short.
However appearing on camera this evening for a European leaders' discussion about peace in Ukraine, the British premier appeared out in the cold, while French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian PM Georgia Melonie flanked President Trump. Sir Keir was pushed to the far end of the table, awkwardly leaning in to see the US president speak. The Prime Minister was also called to speak second-last, despite claiming to have led efforts to US-European diplomatic efforts, after EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ms Meloni and Mr Macron.
He only addressed the US President before the leader of Finland.
Mr Trump declared this evening's meeting an historic first for the White House, to host so many different heads of state, Prime Ministers and presidents.
Addressing President Trump, Sir Keir said all leaders present "want lasting peace", noting the impact on Ukrainians, Europe and the UK.
"When we talk about security, we're talking about the security not just of Ukraine but the security of Europe and the United Kingdom as well, which is why it's such an important issue.
"I really feel we can, with the right approach this afternoon, make real progress, particularly on the security guarantees and your indication of security guarantees - some sort of Article 5-style guarantees - fits with what we've been doing with the coalition of the willing, which we started some months ago.
"With the US coming alongside what we've already developed I think we can take an historic step forward today for security in Ukraine and security in Europe."
He outlined his hopes for the meeting would be greater clarity on what security guarantees the US is now proposing to back the peace, and plans for a potential trilateral meeting between President Trump, President Zelenskyy and President Putin.
Speaking alongside President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office earlier this afternoon, Donald Trump gave a major update about the possibility of a trilateral meeting between himself, Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin. At the end of his meeting in the Oval Office with Mr Zelensky on Monday, Mr Trump said Putin was expecting a call from him.
Asked whether any aspects of his conversation with Putin left him “disappointed”, the US president replied: “We’re going to have a phone call right after these meetings today and we may or may not have a trilat. If we don’t have a trilat, then the fighting continues and if we do, we have a good chance, I think if we have a trilat, there’s a good chance of maybe ending it. But he’s expecting my call when we’re finished with this meeting.”
The Ukrainian war leader said he is now "ready for a trilateral" meeting between himself and President Putin.
However, Russia sparked confusion this afternoon when insisting President Putin had made no concessions to allow NATO countries to put their troops in Ukraine to uphold a peace, despite claims to the contrary from the US yesterday.
The country's foreign office said it does not see the deployment of NATO countries' troops to Ukraine as viable, taking particular aim at Britain.
A spokesman fumed: "At a time when there is a genuine push for a comprehensive, fair, and lasting resolution to the conflict around Ukraine, including addressing its root causes, statements continue to emerge from London that not only contradict the efforts of Moscow and Washington, but also appear aimed at undermining them."
This weekend Sir Keir continued to insist that Ukraine is now on an "irreversible path" to NATO membership, adding that is not something Russia can "have a veto against".
