Keir Starmer says there is a 'viable' chance of Ukraine peace when Trump and Putin meet

Keir Starmer has told Donald Trump that Ukraine must not be forced to hand territory to Russia, as the US President and Russian leader Vladimir Putin prepare for talks in Alaska. However there are reports the White House is backing a plan that could leave parts of Ukraine under permanent occupation. The UK Prime Minister insisted a "viable" chance of reaching a ceasefire in the Ukraine war now exists because of US President Donald Trump's work, but Britain stands ready to "increase pressure" on Russia if necessary.

Sir Keir took part in an online summit with allies including Mr Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, ahead of Friday's meeting from which Mr Zelensky has been excluded. Sir Keir insisted that "international borders must not be changed by force", Downing Street said. Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who hosted today's summit, issued a similar message with a warning that "legal recognition" of Russia's seizure of Ukrainian territory "cannot happen."

There were reports last night that the US is considering a deal in which regions of Ukraine would permanently "occupied" by Russia while still nominally under Ukrainian sovereignty. The model is said to be the West Bank, an area in Palestine that has been occupied by Israel since 1967.

Sir Keir and other European leaders are concerned after Mr Trump suggested a peace deal could involve "land-swapping". It is not clear what the US President has in mind, but it appears to mean Ukraine ceding land to Russia.

There were also fears that Friday's meeting could result in the US and Russia imposing a peace deal on Ukraine against its will. Convincing Mr Trump to speak with Mr Zelensky in today's video-conference was seen as an important breakthrough, but Ukraine, the UK and other European nations remain frozen out of the key talks.

The US President has promised to update Mr Zelensky once Friday's talks end.

As well as the leaders of the UK, Germany, US and Ukraine, today's virtual summit included the leaders of France, Italy, Poland and Finland, as well as NATO and the European Union.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: "All leaders agreed this week marks an important moment for the future of Ukraine. They thanked President Trump for his efforts in bringing Putin to the table in pursuit of a ceasefire to end to the ongoing bloodshed.

"The Prime Minister was clear that our support for Ukraine is unwavering - international borders must not be changed by force and Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal.

"Europe stands ready to support this and will continue to work alongside President Trump and President Zelenskyy for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, they added.

"They looked forward to speaking again following the meeting in Alaska on Friday."

Mr Zelensky said that Donald Trump offered his support during the virtual summit, but insisted that "everything about Ukraine has to be discussed with Ukraine - we have to be part of the conversation".

He insisted Mr Putin doesn't want peace. Mr Zelensky said: "Putin cannot fool us."

Mr Merz said European nations were doing all they could to "help set the agenda" for the meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Putin.

He said: "In Alaska, security interests of Europe and Ukraine must be protected."

Sir Keir also convened a meeting of nations that have agreed to play a role in a potential peace-keeping operation to guarantee Ukraine's security once peace with Russia is achieved, described by the Prime Minister as a "coalition of the willing".

The UK Prime Minister has attempted to avoid any suggestion of a break with Washington while at the same time making clear his support for Mr Zelensky. For his part, Mr Trump praised European leaders today, saying "They are great people who want to see a deal done."

There are signs that US and UK are both planning to ratchet up the pressure on Moscow if President Trump concludes that the Russian dictator is not serious about peace. Sir Keir planning a fresh round of sanctions, while Donald Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the US was also ready to punish Russia if talks don't go as planned. He said: "Sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up".

Vladimir Putin held talks with an ally of his own, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, with the pair holding a phone call to discuss their deepening ties and war efforts against Ukraine.

Mr Putin praised the "bravery, heroism and self-sacrificing spirit" displayed by North Korean troops as they fought with Russian forces against Ukraine, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said.

More than 6,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured while fighting alongside Russia's forces, the Ministry of Defence has estimated.