Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to host a crucial meeting of international allies, as US President Donald Trump hinted that significant progress may be underway in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Key Coalition Meeting
The Prime Minister will convene a virtual meeting of the coalition of the willing on Tuesday. This group, comprising over 30 nations, is committed to policing any potential peace deal struck between Ukraine and Russia. The member countries have pledged to guarantee Kyiv's security should an agreement be reached to end Moscow's bloody invasion.
This development follows a weekend of diplomatic activity and concern across European capitals. A leaked US 28-point peace plan caused alarm by floating major concessions to Moscow, including proposals to cut the size of Ukraine's armed forces and abandon its ambition to join NATO.
Diplomatic Momentum in Geneva
However, the mood appeared to shift after officials from Europe, Ukraine, and the United States held key discussions in Geneva on Sunday. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the talks as showing 'tremendous' progress, noting there had been 'positive contributions to ensuring that this plan can be accepted by both the European and Ukrainian sides'.
Overnight, President Trump amplified this sense of momentum in a social media post. He wrote: "Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine??? Don't believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!"
UK's Stance on a 'Just and Lasting Peace'
When pressed on the prospects for progress, Prime Minister Starmer told reporters on Monday that talks in Geneva are ongoing and that progress is being made. He emphasised the dual necessity of any outcome, stating, "Everybody is absolutely focused on what we need to get out of this, and that is a just and lasting peace. Both of those words matter. It's got to be just, and obviously matters for Ukraine have to be determined by Ukraine, but it's also got to be lasting and it's got to endure."
Starmer confirmed the upcoming coalition meeting, stating, "I'm now planning that we will meet virtually tomorrow... to further discuss the progress that is being made, and I hope, can be made, towards the thing that matters above all else." He added that the conflict has had a direct impact on the United Kingdom, underscoring the international stakes.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman welcomed the 'significant progress' made in Geneva, acknowledging that while some outstanding issues remain, intensive work on the peace plan will continue in the coming days and weeks.
