Keir Starmer backs Nato membership for Ukraine regardless of US view

Sir Keir Starmer has reaffirmed the UK will proceed to again Ukraine’s “irreversible path” to becoming a member of Nato regardless of main figures in President Donald Trump’s administration showing to rule out membership.

The prime minister informed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky he stood by a pledge – made alongside ex-US president Joe Biden finally yr’s Nato summit in Washington – to assist Ukraine’s bid for membership.

Sir Keir and Zelensky spoke on the cellphone forward of a worldwide leaders’ assembly on the Munich Safety Convention.

Sir Keir’s feedback are in stark distinction to these of the Trump administration, which has stated this week that Nato membership for Ukraine will not be a “reasonable prospect”.

In a readout of the decision, a Downing Avenue spokeswoman stated: “The prime minister started by reiterating the UK’s concrete assist for Ukraine, for so long as it is wanted.

“He was unequivocal that there may very well be no talks about Ukraine, with out Ukraine.

“Ukraine wanted sturdy safety ensures, additional deadly help and a sovereign future, and it might depend on the UK to step up, he added.

“The prime minister reiterated the UK’s dedication to Ukraine being on an irreversible path to Nato as agreed by allies on the Washington Summit final yr.”

The leaders agreed it was an “vital second to exhibit worldwide unity and assist for Ukraine” and “agreed to remain in shut contact”, the assertion added.

The UK has needed to stroll a positive line between its assist for Kyiv and sustaining good relations with Trump, who this week agreed to open negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin whereas signalled his willingness to make concessions to Moscow.

Trump’s defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, has stated restoring Ukraine’s territory to the place it was earlier than the primary Russian invasion in 2014 is just “not reasonable”.

Talking at a defence summit in Brussels on Wednesday, Hegseth additionally downplayed the prospect of Ukraine becoming a member of Nato.

His remarks have been the clearest indication but of the Trump administration’s place on the Ukraine conflict and what a peace plan to finish the battle might contain.

Ukraine has repeatedly referred to as for Nato membership and has rejected ceding territory as a part of any peace deal.

Nato’s official place is that Ukraine is on an “irreversible” path to becoming a member of the alliance, which was established at a gathering in Washington final yr and signed off by Sir Keir and ex-president Biden.

Sir Keir additionally took a cellphone name from Trump late on Thursday night time, once they mentioned “his forthcoming go to to the US”, Quantity 10 stated.

Zelensky has warned Putin is “undoubtedly not getting ready for negotiations”, however to “proceed deceiving the world” as he appealed for unified stress from allies on Russia.

UK International Secretary David Lammy sat down for talks with US Vice President JD Vance on Friday, on the primary day of the Munich Safety Convention.

Afterwards, Lammy stated he was “very inspired” by their conversations on Ukraine, and he and Vance have been in settlement about Kyiv having a seat on the desk in terms of negotiating a peaceable finish to the conflict.

“We share the view that there must be an everlasting peace,” Lammy informed Reuters information company following the assembly.

“There was an settlement that Zelensky and the Ukrainians must be a part of that negotiated deal.”

Lammy stated it was “not shocking” that Trump needed to talk to Putin and Zelensky about negotiations to finish the conflict, however added: “These are simply talks in the intervening time. We’re a way from a negotiated peace.”

Earlier within the day, Vance had stated he hoped his dialogue with Lammy would concentrate on what they “spoke about a few years in the past once we met, which is our shared perception that Europe actually ought to take a much bigger function in its personal safety”.