WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� British Prime Minister Keir Starmer used a visit to Washington on Thursday to press President Donald Trump not to abandon Ukraine as he looks to find a quick endgame to Russia's bloody invasion of its neighbor.
With a mix of flattery and frank talk, the center-left Starmer made the case to the Republican president to remain cautious as he goes about ending the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II. The British premier started the visit by delivering an invitation from King Charles III to come to Scotland for a 鈥渉istoric鈥� state visit 鈥� noting it was an 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� honor since Trump already had been given the royal treatment by Queen Elizabeth II during his first term.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e created a moment of tremendous opportunity to reach a historic peace deal 鈥� a deal that I think would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world,鈥� Starmer told Trump. 鈥淭hat is the prize. But we have to get it right.鈥�
Trump said that talks to end the grinding war are 鈥渧ery well advanced" but also cautioned that there is only a narrow window to get a deal done.
鈥淚f it doesn鈥檛 happen quickly, it may not happen at all,鈥� Trump warned.
Starmer's visit came after French President Emmanuel Macron was in Washington earlier this week to make a similar case to Trump, and a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit the White House. The British leader leaned into the idea that Trump was the glue to maintaining the peace in Ukraine should the three-year war end.
The press by Starmer and Macron this week reflects the that Trump鈥檚 aggressive push to find an end to the war signals his willingness to concede too much to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Some of Trump's comments during Starmer's visit may only add to Europe's anxiety. The American leader expressed confidence that Putin won鈥檛 press to restart the war if a truce can be reached.
鈥淚 think he鈥檒l keep his word," Trump said of Putin. 鈥淚鈥檝e spoken to him, I鈥檝e known him for a long time now, we had to go through the Russian hoax together.鈥�
The mention of 鈥淩ussia hoax鈥� is a reference to the FBI and Justice Department special counsel investigation that examined whether Trump's 2016 presidential campaign illegally coordinated with Russia to sway the outcome of the U.S. election.
Special counsel Robert Mueller found that although the Trump campaign welcomed Russia鈥檚 help in the form of the release of hacked emails stolen from Democrats, there was insufficient evidence to prove that the campaign had colluded with Moscow.
After the joint new conference, Starmer was asked during an interview with Fox News Channel if he was worried about Putin not living up to any eventual agreement and responded, 鈥淚鈥檓 concerned about that because, historically, that鈥檚 been the case.鈥�
He said Putin鈥檚 history of reneging on agreements means that Britain and the rest of Europe will have to join with the United States to make sure the Russian president follows through this time.
鈥淲e all need to come together to defend the deal if there is a deal,鈥� Stramer said.
Trump's rapprochement with Russia has nonetheless unsettled America's historic allies in Europe. They have found themselves on their heels with Trump returning to the White House with a determination to dramatically make over U.S. foreign policy to correspond with his 鈥淎merica First鈥� world view.
The Trump administration without Ukrainian or other European allies represented. And this week, the at the United Nations blaming Russia for the war. The drifting White House view of Ukraine under Trump is leading to a tectonic shift in transatlantic relations.
Starmer applauded Trump's push to end Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine, but also urged that 鈥渋t can鈥檛 be peace that rewards the aggressor.鈥�
鈥淗istory must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader,鈥� Starmer said.
At their White House meeting, Trump and are on a contentious agreement that would give the U.S. access to , which are used in the aerospace, defense and nuclear industries. Zelenskyy had chafed at a deal without specific security guarantees from Washington.
Trump remains noncommittal about any coming American security guarantees, and insists that Russia would think twice about attacking again should the U.S. build an economic footprint in Ukraine to extract critical minerals.
鈥淲e are a backstop because we鈥檒l be over there, we鈥檒l be working in the country,鈥� Trump said.
If a truce can be reached, Starmer and have agreed to send troops for to Ukraine to ensure that fighting between Ukraine and Russia doesn't flare up again.
But White House officials are skeptical that Britain and France can assemble enough troops from across Europe, at least at this moment, to deploy a credible peacekeeping mission to Kyiv.
Zelenskyy, while en route to Washington, met on Thursday with Ireland's prime minister, who said he told Zelenskyy that Ireland is open to helping, including sending peacekeepers to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy and European officials have no illusions about U.S. troops taking part in such a mission. But Starmer and others are trying to make the case that the plan can only work with a U.S. backstop for European forces on the ground 鈥� through U.S. aerial intelligence, surveillance and support, as well as rapid-response cover in case of breaches of a truce.
Trump is also looking at the moment as an opportunity to potentially reopen economic relations with Russia after three years of U.S.-led sanctions to punish Moscow for the invasion.
Starmer is hosting a Sunday meeting in the United Kingdom of international leaders that will focus on Ukraine, and Zelenskyy is expected to attend. The prime minister also announced plans this week for the U.K. to bolster defense spending, something that should sit well with Trump, who has been critical that European allies are spending too little on defense.
Starmer's government to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2027, years earlier than expected, and aim to reach 3% by 2035. The U.S. spends about 3.3% of its GDP on defense.
鈥淭he disaster in Ukraine shows exactly why it鈥檚 so important for the United Kingdom and other NATO partners to make large investments in their defense capabilities,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e raising it quite a bit, which is a great thing to do for your country. It鈥檚 a great thing to do. It鈥檚 sad that we need that, but probably need that.鈥�
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Associated Press writers Panagiotis Pylas in London and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
Jill Lawless And Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press
