Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued a blunt warning that President Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted “as far as you could throw him” and insisted that no peace settlement should be forced upon Ukraine.
The remarks come ahead of a high-profile meeting between President Donald Trump and the Russian leader in Alaska on Friday. Downing Street has made clear that the UK will stand with Kyiv until there is what it calls a “just” peace.
Over the weekend, Britain joined European allies in demonstrating support for Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelensky forcefully rejected suggestions from the US president that ending the war could involve surrendering territory to Russia. Mr Trump has floated the idea that peace talks could include “some swapping of territories.”
Mr Zelensky responded that Ukraine “will not give Russia any awards for what it has done” and that “Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier.”
UK To Stand Firm With Kyiv
Downing Street has not explicitly ruled out the possibility of land being ceded, but stressed that any such decision must rest solely with Ukraine.
Concerning whether Sir Keir believed the Russian leader could be trusted in the negotiations, No 10 replied: “Never trust President Putin as far as you could throw him, but we obviously will support Ukraine.”
“We will obviously support President Trump and European nations as we enter these negotiations. But it is exactly why we’ve been leading this work on the coalition of the willing, because any ceasefire, as I say, cannot just be an opportunity for President Putin to go away, re-arm, restrengthen, and then go again.
“So we’re not going to leave it to trust. We’re going to ensure that we’re prepared such that we achieve a ceasefire.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer
In recent months, Sir Keir has engaged in extensive discussions with members of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” including France, to explore potential security guarantees should a peace deal be reached.
No. 10 reaffirmed that the UK’s position remains unchanged: Britain will support Ukraine until there is a “just” resolution and will “not reward aggression or compromise sovereignty.”
On Sunday, US Vice-President JD Vance offered a glimpse into Washington’s stance ahead of Friday’s meeting, warning that Europe must increase its contributions to Ukraine while declaring that America is “done with the funding of the war.”
The Kremlin has stated that Trump and Putin will focus their talks on achieving a “long-term peaceful resolution” to the conflict. Russian demands are expected to include Ukraine relinquishing two eastern regions, along with Crimea.
When announcing the talks at the White House, Mr Trump said any deal could involve “some swapping of territories.”
“We’re going to get some back. We’re going to get some switched. There will be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both.”
President Donald Trump
As the summit approaches, the stakes remain high. For Kyiv, the outcome could determine not only the country’s territorial integrity but the long-term security of its people. For London, the challenge will be to maintain unity among allies while ensuring that any agreement does not undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty or reward Moscow’s aggression.
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