Ahead of US Visit, UK Stammerer Says "Trump Created Opportunity to Discuss Ukraine"

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, ahead of his visit to the US, praised US President Donald Trump for positively changing the global discourse surrounding Ukraine.

On the 24th (local time), according to the British daily The Guardian and BBC, Prime Minister Starmer delivered a virtual speech at a summit of world leaders held in Kyiv, Ukraine, marking the third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war, stating that President Trump created an opportunity to end the war.

Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Starmer said, "President Trump has brought a change to the global conversation over the past few weeks," adding, "This has created an opportunity. Now we must get the fundamentals right."

A spokesperson for the UK Prime Minister's Office explained that these remarks meant President Trump opened the door to talks that could bring sustainable peace. When asked how Trump's involvement changed the situation, the spokesperson said, "Absolutely for the better," adding, "President Trump has brought talks that could bring lasting peace to Ukraine, which is exactly what we all want to see."

Starmer emphasized that Ukraine must participate in ceasefire negotiations and stated, "Russia does not hold all the cards in this war." This contradicts Trump's previous remarks that Russia holds several cards in the negotiations while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has none.

He cited additional sanctions, increased military support for Ukraine, and collective peace efforts as ways to bring sustainable peace to Ukraine. He said, "The West must put more pressure on Russia," and announced that the UK would impose new sanctions on Russia. He also added that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not yet ready to negotiate but can be pushed to the point of making concessions. On the same day, the UK announced new sanctions against Russia.

Starmer is scheduled to visit the White House on the 27th, following his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with President Trump on the same day. He must persuade President Trump, who is attempting to pursue ceasefire negotiations with Russia excluding Europe and Ukraine, to maintain the Atlantic alliance.

British media pointed out that Starmer is responding cautiously, avoiding direct criticism of President Trump ahead of his US visit.

BBC, citing UK government sources, reported that Starmer shared opinions on the best approach to engage with President Trump during a phone call with President Macron the previous day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.