Political reporter
Sir Keir Starmer has told MPs that US President Donald Trump’s commitment to achieving peace in Ukraine is “sincere”.
The prime minister said Europe would have to do “the heavy lifting” as part of a peace deal but reiterated that a peacekeeping force would need “strong US backing”.
As Sir Keir was speaking in the House of Commons, Trump posted on social media: “Europe… stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US – probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?”
He also accused Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky of not wanting peace adding: “America will not put up with it for much longer.”
Following a summit of western leaders over the weekend, the UK and France said they would produce a plan to stop the fighting, which would then be discussed with the US.
Addressing MPs, Sir Keir said Britain would “play a leading role” in any agreed deal including, if necessary, deploying British troops in Ukraine to deter Russia from further attacks.
Trump has so far not agreed to provide any security guarantees and has instead focused on a deal to open up Ukrainian minerals to US companies.
He has argued that the presence of American workers in the country would help discourage Russia from trying to encroach on Ukraine territory.
Asked by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage if the minerals deal would provide “enough of a security guarantee”, Sir Keir said the deal “is not enough on its own”.
The prime minister received widespread backing from MPs across different parties with the former foreign secretary, Conservative James Cleverly, saying he had “not put a foot wrong” over the weekend.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she backed the PM’s decision to fund an increase in defence spending by cutting the aid budget and added that she would support him to make further “difficult choices – including on welfare”.
Speaking about the deployment of British troops, the prime minister said he did not take any such move “lightly” and promised MPs a vote if that happened.
He argued that backing Ukraine was not only “the right thing to do” but was also in British interests.
“If we do not achieve a lasting peace then the instability and insecurity that hits living standards of working people in Britain, that will only get worse and Putin’s appetite for conflict and chaos, that will only grow.”
He later said “success was not guaranteed but I am not going to let up”.
Russia has flatly rejected the idea of western troops being sent to Ukraine as part of any peace deal.
Sunday’s summit in London came after an explosive spat between Trump and Zelensky at the White House last week.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Trump was “no longer a reliable ally with respect to Russia” and that it was time the UK reviewed its dependency on the US.
“I don’t agree with him,” replied Sir Keir adding: “The US and UK have the closest of relationships – our defence, security and intelligence are completely intertwined.
“A huge mistake at a time like this would be to suggest any weakening of that link is the way forward.”
Labour MP – and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee – Emily Thornberry questioned Sir Keir’s decision to cut aid in order to bolster defence spending.
She said it was “hard to believe” there would be enough left in the budget to “provide meaningful support” and it could “hobble” the prime minister’s attempt to show global leadership.
At the weekend, President Macron had suggested a partial, month-long truce between Russia and Ukraine, in which both would agree to a truce for four weeks in the air, on the sea and around energy infrastructure, but it would not cover ground fighting along the frontline in the east.
Eléonore Caroit, a member of the French foreign affairs committee, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that President Macron’s proposal sent a “very strong message” to Europe “that if we want, we can do something”.
But Defence Minister Luke Pollard told the BBC it was “not a plan that we currently recognise”.
He added: “Certainly there are a number of different options being discussed privately between the UK, France and our allies… What we are certainly doing is looking at what plan would bring peace as soon as we can, and what plan creates a lasting peace.”
The prime minister hosted the London summit as allies scramble to shape peace negotiations and smooth over fractured relations between Trump and Zelensky.
At the summit, Sir Keir announced a four-point plan to work with Ukraine to end the war and defend the country from Russia.
The plan involves including Ukraine in talks, continuing to supply it with military aid, boosting its defence capabilities and building a “coalition of the willing” to defend a deal to end the fighting.
The UK and France are taking a leading role and have both committed to send soldiers to Ukraine, under the proposals.
But apart from increasing spending on defence, there appears to be no consensus on a plan to end the war among European leaders.
Defence Secretary John Healey will visit the US later this week to move discussions forward.
In other developments over the weekend:
- Zelensky said he was prepared to resign as president if his country was granted membership of Nato, the western security alliance
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said she will present a plan to “rearm” Europe in the coming days
- Chancellor Rachel Reeves signed off a £2.26bn loan scheme to help Ukraine buy weapons and fund its reconstruction after the war
- Sir Keir has announced a £1.6bn missile deal for Ukraine.
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