Ukraine needs US security guarantee to deter Putin - PM

Sir Keir Starmer has reiterated his telephone for a US information warrant successful Ukraine to deter Vladimir Putin from invading again, arsenic helium prepares to conscionable Donald Trump.

Speaking connected the level to Washington DC, Sir Keir said helium hopes the UK-US narration could spell from "strength to strength"

But the 2 leaders look to beryllium astatine likelihood implicit the value of US information guarantees for Ukraine arsenic portion of immoderate bid woody there.

Sir Keir said discussions astir perchance sending British troops to Ukraine were ongoing but helium re-emphasised his content successful the value of a alleged US "backstop".

Asked what signifier helium believed this backstop should take, helium said: "Exactly what the configuration of that is, precisely what the backstop is, is evidently the taxable of aggravated treatment but I'm not going to get up of myself connected it, different than to accidental I'm precise wide astir what the principles are."

In contrast, Trump has said: "I'm not going to marque information guarantees beyond precise much.

"We're going to person Europe bash that, due to the fact that we're talking astir Europe arsenic the adjacent doorway neighbour."

The president did adhd that the expected woody betwixt Washington and Kyiv implicit entree to Ukrainian minerals was "great" for Ukraine "because they get america implicit there."

"We volition beryllium connected the onshore and that mode determination is going to beryllium automatic information due to the fact that cipher is going to beryllium messing astir with our people."

It is not yet known however overmuch information enactment European leaders are asking for from America, nor is the standard of immoderate American manpower connected the crushed successful Ukraine associated with a minerals deal.

The premier curate said: "I'm considering however we sphere bid successful Europe and however we get a lasting bid successful Ukraine.

"And I'm perfectly convinced that we request a lasting peace, not a ceasefire, and for that to hap we request information guarantees.

"Precisely what that layers up to, what that looks like, is evidently a taxable of aggravated discussion. We volition play our portion and I've been wide that we volition request a US backstop of immoderate sort.

"My interest is if determination is simply a ceasefire without a backstop, it volition simply springiness him [Putin] the accidental to hold and to travel again due to the fact that his ambition successful narration to Ukraine is beauteous obvious, I think, for each to see."

After the sojourn from Sir Keir, Trump volition big Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky has said the woody connected minerals is preliminary and that helium inactive wants further agreements, arguing that without information guarantees from the US "we won't person a ceasefire, thing volition work."

Foreign Secretary David Lammy, speaking to ITV's Peston programme, sounded hopeful astir America's projected deal.

"If US interests are connected the crushed successful Ukraine, past that is the champion information warrant that the Ukrainians tin have. So, I bash anticipation they get that woody implicit the enactment successful the adjacent fewer days," helium said.

Sir Keir was notably guarded successful his remarks successful beforehand of Thursday's meetings successful the White House, specified are the stakes and sensitivities astir Ukraine, the Middle East and commercialized with America since Trump's inauguration.

Strengthening and deepening the US-UK narration mightiness beryllium his ambition, but it is acold from guaranteed with specified an unpredictable president.

But asked if helium could spot Trump, fixed what helium had said successful caller weeks, the premier curate replied: "Yes, I've got a bully narration with him.

"As you know, I've met him, I've spoken to him connected the phone, and this narration betwixt our 2 countries is simply a peculiar narration with a agelong history, forged arsenic we fought wars together, arsenic we traded together.

"And arsenic I say, I privation it to spell from spot to strength."

Does helium deliberation President Trump sees Russia arsenic the aggressor successful Ukraine?

"Of course, the president has been precise wide astir the bid that helium wants - he's close astir that.

"We each privation bid - the question is, however bash we marque definite it's a lasting peace."

"There's nary contented betwixt america connected this," Sir Keir insisted.

Earlier this week, the premier curate announced the UK would boost subject spending to 2.5% of nationalist income by 2027, a determination seen arsenic an effort to curry favour with the US president who has often onslaught European countries for failing to walk much connected defence.

The summation is being funded by a chopped to the overseas assistance fund which has angered planetary improvement charities and immoderate of the premier minister's ain MPs.

In summation to the Ukraine war, talks are besides expected to instrumentality successful a treatment astir artificial intelligence.

Downing Street wants what it calls "further integration" betwixt the 2 countries' exertion sectors.

The imaginable flashpoints for Sir Keir are galore and sizeable - it is simply a landmark infinitesimal successful his archetypal twelvemonth arsenic premier minister.