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Sir Keir Starmer will join European leaders and Donald Trump on Wednesday for an urgent diplomatic call ahead of the US president's controversial meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The emergency coordination, organised by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, includes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as leaders scramble to respond to Friday's planned summit.
Trump and Putin are set to meet in Alaska on Friday to discuss Ukraine's future without Ukrainian representation at the talks. The US president has already signalled that peace negotiations will likely involve "land-swapping" and promised to try recovering some of Ukraine's "oceanfront property" from Russia.
European unity against exclusion
European leaders issued a defiant joint statement this week asserting that "Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny" and "the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine". Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission emphasised that "international borders must not be changed by force", as The Guardian reports.
The Prime Minister warned that peace "must be built with Ukraine, not imposed upon it" during conversations with Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Mark Carney. Both leaders agreed Ukraine's future "must be one of freedom, sovereignty and self-determination" while supporting Trump's peace efforts.
Territory concerns and warnings
Russia currently occupies significant Ukrainian territory across Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson provinces, and Crimea, which it has held since 2014, according to The Independent. Trump described these areas as "prime territory" and "oceanfront property" during a press conference, suggesting territorial concessions may be necessary for peace.
Downing Street issued stark warnings about Putin's trustworthiness, with officials stating Britain would "never trust President Putin as far as you could throw him". The Guardian highlighted Putin's historical pattern of breaking ceasefire promises, noting concerns he could use any pause to "re-arm, restrengthen, and then go again".
Constitutional constraints and planning
Zelensky has already rejected proposals compromising Ukraine's territorial integrity, which would violate Ukraine's constitution. The Ukrainian president warned that Putin wants to "exchange a pause in the war for the legalisation of the occupation of our land", adding that "where there is a second, there will be a third" attempt at territorial partition.
European military planners have been developing a "coalition of the willing" peacekeeping force, with operational planning continuing at military level to prevent future Russian aggression. Meanwhile, Ukraine has been strengthening its negotiating position through outreach to India and Saudi Arabia, expanding beyond traditional Western allies, as The Guardian confirmed.
Sources used: "PA Media", "The Guardian", "The Independent" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
