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Reiterating the importance of Ukraine being at the center of any negotiations to end the war, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to show “united leadership” in support of the war-ravaged nation when they separately meet US President Donald Trump this week.
The development comes days after Trump—in a U-turn of sorts—launched extraordinary attacks on Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him a “dictator without elections.”
Starmer, who is hoping to have crucial discussions with allies before his Washington visit, also spoke with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte on Sunday night, The Guardian reported, quoting Downing Street.
Noting the importance of European leaders stepping up to ensure the security of the region, Downing Street said Starmer and Rutte agreed “there could be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine”.
Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has expressed his willingness to step down as president in exchange for peace and the NATO membership for Ukraine.
Responding to a question from BBC News in Ukrainian, Zelenskyy stated that he is focused on Ukraine’s security today and not staying in power for decades, according to a video shared by Kyiv School of Economics President Tymofiy Mylovanov.
Last week, Zelenskyy met with US Special Presidential Envoy for Russia and Ukraine Keith Kellogg in Kyiv to discuss the battlefield situation, how to return Ukraine’s prisoners of war and effective security guarantees.
Expressing Ukraine’s readiness for a “strong, effective” investment and security agreement with Trump, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has sought peace from the very second of the war between Russia and Ukraine, even as he emphasised that strong ties between the US and Ukraine benefit the entire world.
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