UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declared that “real progress” had been achieved during a White House summit attended by European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the war in Ukraine. The talks, hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump, also included French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Trump confirmed he had spoken directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin arranging a meeting with Zelensky, followed by a trilateral session involving the U.S. president. Trump added that Russia would accept multinational efforts to guarantee Ukraine’s security, a step Starmer described as crucial for Europe and the UK.

Security Guarantees And Bilateral Talks

Starmer said two key outcomes emerged from the summit: first, agreement that European partners would work with the U.S. on providing Ukraine with security guarantees; second, an understanding that Putin and Zelensky would hold a bilateral meeting, followed by a trilateral session with Trump. He stressed this ensures Ukraine remains directly involved in negotiations on critical issues such as territory, prisoner exchanges, and the return of children. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff suggested the U.S. could offer Article 5-style protection outside NATO membership, calling it a major concession.

Unity Among Leaders And Next Steps

Starmer highlighted a “real sense of unity” among European leaders, Trump, and Zelensky, calling the summit a potentially historic step toward security for Ukraine and Europe. Trump described the talks as “very good” and said all parties welcomed the possibility of peace. He noted that future trilateral talks had “a good chance” of ending the conflict, though his remarks reflected mixed views on whether a formal ceasefire was needed. Zelensky said the discussions were the most productive so far, thanking leaders for their support and emphasizing that Ukraine’s security depends on both the U.S. and Europe.