Keir Starmer has spoken to French president Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump, after the US president’s clash with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The PM and the Ukrainian president hugged as they met in Downing Street ahead of a meeting of European leaders in London.
Sunday 2 March 2025 14:43, UK
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We won’t be sharing live updates in this blog today – but you can head over to our Politics Hub, where we’ll bring you the latest on Keir Starmer’s summit with European leaders about Ukraine and defence.
But we’ll be back tomorrow in our Politics Hub for another big day of diplomacy as a defence summit kicks off in London.
European leaders are gathering in the capital for talks, which now come with added significance after Donald Trump’s disastrous meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy last night.
Zelenskyy is already in London, where he met Keir Starmer today and thanked the UK for its “tremendous support”.
Starmer, for his part, called Trump earlier for a conversation we understand was constructive and focused on finding a way forward.
It all amounts to a crucial few days in the Ukraine war – starting tomorrow in London.
Before we go, here’s a brief recap of today’s other main developments:
With a host of European leaders on their way to London for a defence summit, Keir Starmer has said “we’re at a turning point”.
Among those attending the talks tomorrow – hoped to focus Europe’s plan for how to police any peace in Ukraine – are leaders of Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Canada and more.
“Three years on from Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, we are at a turning point,” said Starmer.
“In partnership with our allies, we must intensify our preparations for the European element of security guarantees alongside continued discussions with the United States.
“We have an opportunity to come together to ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine that secures their sovereignty and security.
“Now is the time for us to unite in order to guarantee the best outcome for Ukraine, protect European security, and secure our collective future.”
“I feel shocked,” says one Ukrainian after Donald Trump’s extraordinary meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy last night.
Our team is in Kyiv to hear the word on the street – here’s what some locals have told us.
Keir Starmer has called both Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron today.
Sky News understands both conversations were constructive and focused on finding a way forward.
These calls come a day after Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s heated exchange with Trump at the White House.
Ukraine’s president has now commented on today’s meeting with Keir Starmer.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the UK for its “tremendous support” from “the very beginning of this war”.
He also hailed the UK’s loan – which we reported at 20.15 – as a “principled statement of support”.
“This loan will enhance Ukraine’s defence capabilities and will be repaid using revenues from frozen Russian assets,”
“The funds will be directed toward weapons production in Ukraine. This is true justice – the one who started the war must be the one to pay.”
A little more to bring you now from Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with Keir Starmer earlier.
A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister “reiterated his unwavering support for Ukraine”, adding the UK “will always stand with them, for as long as it takes”.
“The prime minister re-stated his determination to finding a path that ends Russia’s illegal war and ensures a just and lasting peace that secures Ukraine’s future sovereignty and security,” the statement added.
Emmanuel Macron said he made a series of calls today following Donald Trump’s explosive meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In an interview, he said he spoke with Ukraine’s leader, Trump, Keir Starmer, NATO chief Mark Rutte and European Council chief Antonio Costa.
Preaching “calm”, the French president told various Sunday newspapers that partnerships cannot fail now.
“I think that beyond the frayed nerves, everybody needs to calm down, show respect and gratitude, so we can move forward concretely, because what’s at stake is too important,” Macron said.
Both Macron and Starmer had taken a lead in trying to convince Trump not to rush into a ceasefire and to provide security guarantees – with each visiting the White House this week.
Macron said in the interview that Zelenskyy told him he is willing to “restore dialogue” with the US, including on a deal giving Washington access to revenues from Ukraine’s natural resources.
He did not say what Trump told him in the call.
“America’s manifest destiny is to be alongside Ukrainians, I have no doubts about that,” he was quoted as saying in La Tribune Dimanche.
“I want the Americans to understand that withdrawing support to Ukraine is not in their interest.”
While Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Downing Street, his finance minister tuned in via a video call to secure more funding.
Sergii Marchenko watched on as the UK’s chancellor Rachel Reeves signed papers to approve £2.6bn in loans to support Ukraine.
Those funds are linked to frozen Russian assets, as part what are called Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans.
The loan will be repaid using the extraordinary profits on those Russian assets, £236bn of which are in Europe alone.
The G7 – a group of seven wealthy democracies including the UK and US – announced $50bn for Ukraine using this type of loan last year, to be paid over time until the end of 2027.
While most European leaders are trying to rally support for Ukraine, not all are on the same page.
Hungary’s prime minister, who is considered Vladimir Putin’s closest partner in the EU, has said the bloc should follow the “example of the United States” and start talks with Russia on a ceasefire and “sustainable peace”.
In a letter to the president of the European Council seen by The Associated Press, Viktor Orban said “this approach is not reconcilable” with the draft conclusions for an upcoming summit of EU leaders next week in Brussels.
Those draft conclusions state there can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine – and that a ceasefire can only take place as part of a comprehensive peace agreement.
Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, meanwhile, repeated his country won’t provide Ukraine any military or financial support.
Fico also demanded that EU summit agree to a call for an immediate ceasefire, which is something “President Zelenskyy and a majority of EU member states refuse to do”.
He warned if the summit doesn’t respect Slovakian requests, then the European Council “might not be able to agree on its position regarding Ukraine”.
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