Prime Minister Keir Starmer has likened Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression to the fight waged by the Allies during the Second World War, ahead of a high-stakes summit in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking at a Downing Street reception attended by veterans to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, Starmer reflected on the enduring lessons of the past.
“I sat on this terrace this very morning with President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, who is fighting for the same values as we were fighting for. And so when we say never forget, we must pass on the stories of those who have gone before us.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer
The Alaska summit, set for Friday, is expected to see Trump and Putin discuss potential peace terms for Ukraine. Trump has floated the idea of inviting European leaders to a follow-up meeting if the talks prove successful.
Both Trump and Starmer have voiced optimism about the prospect of a ceasefire. The sentiment was echoed during a recent virtual meeting of Ukrainian allies, where the possibility of leaders from the European-led “coalition of the willing” joining later negotiations was discussed. Sources indicated Starmer would attend if invited.
Leaders Anticipate Potential Peace Talks Breakthrough
In an interview on Thursday, Trump said he believed Putin could agree to a deal, but later tempered expectations, hinting that a second meeting involving Zelenskyy might prove more pivotal.
Putin has also hinted that the talks could yield a separate agreement on nuclear arms control between Moscow and Washington.
Following a private breakfast meeting with Zelenskyy earlier in the day — seen as a public display of solidarity with Kyiv — Downing Street reported that both leaders “agreed there had been a powerful sense of unity and a strong resolve to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”.
Zelenskyy later revealed that he and Starmer had examined potential outcomes of the Trump-Putin summit.
“We continue to coordinate our positions. We discussed expectations for the meeting in Alaska and possible prospects. We also discussed in considerable detail the security guarantees that can make peace truly durable if the United States succeeds in pressing Russia to stop the killings and engage in genuine, substantive diplomacy.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
The Ukrainian president also urged the UK to join NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which supplies weapons to Kyiv. His call followed reports that Britain plans to scale back a proposed military peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
Since the weekend, European nations have rallied behind Ukraine’s right to determine its future, especially amid concerns over Zelenskyy’s exclusion from Friday’s summit.
At the weekend, Trump suggested that a truce could involve some “swapping” of territory — a proposal Zelenskyy has firmly rejected, insisting there can be no compromise on Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Putin, meanwhile, is expected to use the Alaska talks to push for Kyiv to surrender parts of the Donbas region still under Ukrainian control.
A Downing Street spokesperson said there was a “viable chance to make progress as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious about peace”.
In a moment that drew media attention, Starmer embraced Zelenskyy outside No 10 before their meeting but avoided commenting on whether Trump could be trusted in negotiations.
Trump has warned of “severe consequences” should Putin refuse to agree to peace. The Alaska summit now looms as a potentially defining moment for the future of the war — and for the geopolitical balance in Europe.
