The Prime Minister is to host a meeting of European leaders to debate the crisis in Ukraine and American’s position on the issue. As reported by The Express, Sir Keir Starmer is expected to address the nation in a press conference after 4pm today (Sunday March 2) as leaders from across Europe gather in London to debate the Ukraine crisis.
The hastily-arranged news conference comes on the heels of a disastrous meeting at the White House in Washington last week between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The PM is expected to set out his plans for the UK and France to lead a “coalition of the willing” bringing out peace in Ukraine and an end to the Russian invasion. The British leader will reiterate Britain’s support to Ukraine while also trying to walk a tight diplomatic rope and keep relations with American as warm as possible.
It is understood that Mr Zelensky will join Sir Keir at the summit alongside the leaders of other European countries. He travelled to the UK on Saturday after his Oval Office bust up with Donald Trump which created a divide between the US and its European Nato partners.
Sir Keir told the BBC‘s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that the encounter had made him feel “uncomfortable”, adding: “The important thing is how to react to that. There are a number of different routes people could go down. One is to ramp up the rhetoric as to how outraged we all are or not.
“The other is to do what I did, which is roll up my sleeves, pick up the phone, talk to President Trump, talk to President Zelensky, then invite President Zelensky for an extensive meeting yesterday, a warm welcome, and then further pick up the phone to President Macron and President Trump afterwards. My driving purpose has been to bridge this, if you like, and get us back to the central focus.”
At Lancaster House, a mansion near Buckingham Palace, the Prime Minister is expected to urge the leaders of 18 European countries to follow the UK in answering the US’s calls to boost defence spending. Sir Keir told the BBC he is “working hard” to bring about three components of a lasting peace in Ukraine.
He added: “For me, the components of a lasting peace are a strong Ukraine to fight on, if necessary, to be in a position of strength; to negotiate a European element to security guarantees, and that’s why I’ve been forward-leaning on this about what we would do; and a US backstop. That’s the package, all three parts need to be in place, and that’s what I’m working hard to bring together.”