British PM says Ukraine must be ‘at the heart’ of any peace talks

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
| Photo Credit: AP

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday that Ukraine had to be “at the heart” of any negotiations to end the conflict with Russia.

Mr. Starmer’s remarks come amid fears in Kyiv and its European allies that the U.S. might strike a peace deal without involving them.

President Donald Trump spoke separately to both Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy by phone on Wednesday and said both had expressed a desire for peace.

“We must make sure that Ukraine is at the heart of this. There can’t be any negotiations without Ukraine being at the heart of it,” Starmer told reporters in London.

Mr. Starmer has been walking a diplomatic tightrope as he attempts to avoid Trump imposing tariffs on Britain while also pursuing a reset in relations with the European Union, but on the question of Ukraine he said it was vital that the country had a strong position in any talks.

“It’s really important that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position, whether that’s in discussions or whether it’s continued fighting,” Mr. Starmer said.