Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron have agreed to raise the importance of showing “united leadership” in backing Ukraine against Russian aggression during meetings with Donald Trump this week, Downing Street said. The Prime Minister and French president used a phone call on Sunday afternoon to reiterate their support for Kyiv as the pair gear up to visit Washington DC for talks with the US president.
It comes after White House and Kremlin officials met for discussions on ending the war and as tensions simmer after Mr Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator” last week. A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister spoke with President Macron this afternoon.
“They began by discussing the third anniversary of Russia’s barbaric full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which is a stark reminder that we must all work together to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position at this crucial moment for global security.
“The Prime Minister repeated the UK’s steadfast commitment to support Ukraine for as long as needed and reiterated the importance of Ukraine being at the centre of any negotiations to end the conflict. “The UK and Europe must continue stepping up to meet their security needs and show united leadership in support of Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, which they would both discuss in the US in the coming week.
