The White House – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that he and President Donald Trump discussed a potential agreement aimed at ending the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. This agreement would involve Kyiv and be supported by European peacekeeping forces.
Following meetings on Thursday at the White House, Starmer emphasized that their plan seeks to achieve a peace that is “tough and fair,” allowing Ukraine to shape the terms, and backed by strength to prevent further aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Starmer underscored that any agreement must not reward the aggressor, echoing remarks made earlier by French President Emmanuel Macron during his own meeting with Trump, where he identified Russia as the aggressor.
During a joint news conference with Trump, Starmer stated, “We agreed history must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader.” He reiterated the UK’s readiness to collaborate with other European leaders and deploy peacekeeping troops alongside allies, asserting that this is essential for lasting peace.
However, Trump remained noncommittal regarding security guarantees, including a proposed U.S. “backstop” to support European peacekeepers enforcing a potential truce. He remarked, “I don’t like to talk about peacekeeping until we have a deal. I like to get things done and don’t want to give it the bad luck sign.”
Trump hinted that the U.S. backstop might be part of a deal with Kyiv that would facilitate American access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and recover funds previously allocated by former President Joe Biden’s administration to assist Ukraine’s war efforts.
In the conference, Trump defended his strategy of negotiating directly with Russia without involving Kyiv or European allies, describing it as “common sense.” He stated, “If you want peace, you have to talk to both sides.” Trump expressed confidence that Putin would honor any agreement made between Moscow and Kyiv, believing that he would not pursue further aggression should a peace deal be reached.
This approach marks a significant departure from Biden’s administration, which sought to diplomatically and financially isolate Russia and maintained the stance of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” in peace negotiations.
When asked if he would apologize to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he previously called a “dictator,” Trump refrained from committing but expressed respect for Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit the White House on Friday.
Differences persist among European allies regarding the potential deployment of peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. The UK supports a French-led initiative, while some nations, including Poland, have dismissed the idea. Putin has rejected any proposals for peacekeeping troop deployment, asserting that “Western elites” are attempting to disrupt the newly established dialogue between Moscow and Washington.
A senior administration official conveyed concerns regarding troop deployment amidst a “post-Minsk I level of conflict, even post-Minsk II,” referring to the 2014 and 2015 agreements aimed at halting hostilities between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists, neither of which were sustained. The official noted that troop deployment concerns would diminish if the conflict reached a functional ceasefire, which the U.S. desires. The type of force to be deployed will depend on the political settlement to conclude the war, a “trade-off” that Trump and Starmer will focus on.
Starmer needs to reinforce that European leaders must be included in any peace discussions, as noted by Gesine Weber, a fellow on the German Marshall Fund’s Geostrategy team. She stated, “It would be very odd to have a situation where you have the burden shift to Europeans, but not the strategic responsibility and the strategic reflections.”
Starmer’s visit posed challenges as he aimed to balance the UK’s interests with those of European allies while engaging with an unpredictable U.S. administration. Michael O’Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, remarked, “The most important thing is: Do these guys get along? Do they have a common vision?” This could indicate the emergence of a Western strategy to resolve the war with NATO’s backing. O’Hanlon added, “If that’s the case, then we’re in a good position to try to promote a negotiation between Russia and Ukraine.”
In an effort to present a united front with Trump, Starmer highlighted their collaboration on an economic deal focusing on artificial intelligence. He also pointed to a state visit invitation by King Charles to Trump, describing it as “historic” and “unprecedented.” Starmer dismissed a reporter’s inquiry about whether the king had concerns regarding Trump’s plans to annex Canada, stating, “I think you’re trying to find a divide between us that doesn’t exist.”
Starmer is keen to secure favorable terms amid potential U.S. tariffs impacting British exports, especially as the U.S. imposes 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum from European countries. Trump acknowledged Starmer’s efforts, stating he had “earned whatever they [the British government] pay him” for convincing him against implementing punitive trade measures.
Trump also reiterated his call for NATO members to increase defense spending to 5% of their GDP. In 2023, the U.S. allocated 3.4% of its GDP to defense, according to data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. In a move that seemed to align with Trump’s expectations, Starmer announced an unexpected increase in the UK defense budget to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, followed by 2.6% in the subsequent year. This increase will be funded by a reduction in Britain’s already limited foreign aid budget to just 0.3% of GDP. Starmer aims to further raise defense spending to 3% in the next Parliament, scheduled to commence by 2029 at the latest after the next general election.
