Zelenski meets Starmer before the US-Russia summit for the future of Ukraine

Prime Minister Sir Kayer Starmer welcomed Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski to Downing Street for private discussions.

The couple met before a vital Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss the end of the war in Ukraine.

Sir Cayer said he believed there was a “viable chance” of ending the fire between Russia and Ukraine and stressed that the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine should be protected and international borders should not be changed by force. ”

Zelenski and other European leaders who do not attend the Alaska meeting have had a joint conversation with Trump on Wednesday to repeat their position.

The red carpet was deployed for Zelenski’s arrival at No. 10, and he was in the picture, walking through the Downing Street Rose Garden with the premiere in a carefully coordinated support show from the United Kingdom, scheduled just 24 hours before the Alaska summit.

None of the leaders made a comment on the waiting reporters.

The Kremlin has announced that Putin and Trump will hold a joint press conference after their Friday evening meeting.

Last week Trump warned that there may be a “territory exchange, to improve both”, Fears Ukraine may need to give up some areas to end the bloody conflict.

Moscow wants to maintain the control of the land it seized, including Crimea, while Ukraine insists that the territory of transfer will be unacceptable.

Russia also wants assurances that Ukraine will not join the NATO Military Union and a restriction on the size of its army.

In another development, visiting US Vice President JD Vance said Trump’s mission was “to bring peace to Europe again”.

Turning to a virtual meeting of European leaders after the call with Trump, Sir Keyer said that “any ceasefire will have to be durable and will need security guarantees in order to be lasting.”

“That’s why we created this coalition of desire,” he added.

The coalition is a group of mainly European countries that have promised to provide military support to Ukraine – including potential boots on the spot – to prevent Russia from breaking any agreed peace transaction.

Sir Keyer said the coalition is ready for “reliable” military plans that can be used in the event of a fire.

He said the group’s leaders are also ready to increase economic pressure on Russia, if necessary, for example by increasing sanctions.

He also praised Trump’s efforts to reach an agreement, saying: “For three and domestic years, this conflict continues, and we have nowhere close to the prospect of a really viable solution, a viable way to overcome it.

“Now we have this chance because of the work that the president has invested.”

Sir Alex youngr, leader of MI6 between 2014 and 2020, told the BBC Radio 4 program today: “It is true that Donald Trump is the only one who can decide this,” but he warned that Putin is playing it.

“They all talk about the wrong thing,” he said, adding that the US strategy to reset bilateral relations with Russia is a “total fantasy” that failed to acknowledge Putin’s goal of Ukraine’s “total submission”.

“It’s not about territory at all, it’s about sovereignty and whether there is Ukraine – and Putin is determined that it should not.”

Vance is currently on a private family holiday in the UK, and has also joined a call with Sir Kyer and other European leaders on Wednesday.

Later that evening, he gave an address at the Raf Fairford in Gloucestershire to the US troops located in the UK.

The Vice President said the two countries have a “beautiful union” and that the US worked with our United Kingdom friends to achieve great victories “in the last 100 years.

“It’s not just about going to war and it’s not just to win when we do it,” Vance added.

“When we fight together, when we explain that we are always approaching every situation with an open hand – but if things are going bad, we are ready to do what we need to do, we make it easier to achieve peace and prosperity around the world.”

Following the call with European leaders, Trump told a press conference that there was a likely meeting between Putin and Zelenski.

He said he would use his initial meeting with Putin to “find out where we are and what we are doing,” adding, “We will have a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelenski and me if they would like to have me there.”

He also warned Putin that he would encounter “very serious consequences” if he did not agree to end the war after a summit on Friday.

Zelenski, who joined the call while in Berlin to meet the German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz, said the United States was ready to continue its support for Ukraine and accused Russia of not seeking peace.

“Putin can’t fool us,” he said.