“We can’t allow President Putin to play games with President Trump’s deal,” Starmer said in a statement released by No. 10 Downing Street Friday evening. “The Kremlin’s complete disregard for President Trump’s ceasefire proposal only serves to demonstrate that Putin is not serious about peace.”
In a televised address Thursday, Russia’s president laid out a raft of caveats for accepting the proposal put forward by the U.S. and Ukraine to end the Kremlin’s war. Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said the U.S. has “some cautious optimism” that a ceasefire deal could succeed.
Leaders from what the U.K. has termed a “coalition of the willing” — featuring European countries, the European Commission, NATO, Canada, Ukraine, Australia and New Zealand — will join the Starmer-hosted virtual meeting Saturday.
The British prime minister has pledged to put U.K. military boots on the ground and provide air cover in Ukraine if necessary to deter Russia. Alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, he has been lobbying Trump to undergird any deal with U.S. military guarantees.
Ahead of the meeting, Starmer held calls Friday afternoon with Macron and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
No.10 said in a statement that Starmer and Macron had discussed the “significant breakthrough made by President Trump and President Zelenksyy on a peace plan this week.” The meeting would mark “another important moment to further galvanize support and maintain momentum,” Starmer said.