Starmer, Macron and Zelensky could visit Trump, says French government

Sir Keir Starmer could return to Washington DC for talks with US President Donald Trump, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and France’s Emmanuel Macron, a spokeswoman for the French government said.

The UK and France have been co-ordinating European efforts to support Ukraine and develop a peace plan to end the war with Russia after Mr Trump alarmed allies on the continent by opening talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The French government said Mr Macron, Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky could potentially travel to meet Mr Trump, although that was a “wish” at the moment and there had not been an invitation from the White House.

Spokeswoman Sophie Primas told reporters: “It is envisaged that President Macron might possibly go to Washington again with President Zelensky and his English counterpart.”

Asked when French President Mr Macron, Mr Zelensky and the UK Prime Minister might visit Washington and whether it would be within days or weeks she said: “I don’t have the information. I think it is in the short-term.”

When asked whether there has been an invitation from the White House or whether the visit is a French wish she replied: “It’s a wish I think.”

Downing Street said details of any future travel by the Prime Minister would be set out in the usual way.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We’ve said that we will progress these discussions, that includes progressing discussions with the United States.”

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said: “We need to do everything we can to ensure that the US, Europe and Ukraine are working together on lasting peace, and I am doing everything I can to play my part in that, in regular contact with all of the key players at the moment, including talking to President Zelensky yesterday afternoon.”

Relations between Mr Trump and Ukrainian President Mr Zelensky appear to have been patched up following last week’s dramatic White House bust-up.

Mr Trump also said he has had “strong signals” from Russia that Moscow is ready for peace, saying: “Wouldn’t that be beautiful?”

The US president used a wide-ranging speech in Congress to say he had received a letter from the Ukrainian leader saying Kyiv is ready to sign a minerals agreement with Washington “at any time” after the deal broke down last week.

The Ukrainian president had earlier said it is “time to make things right” with Mr Trump after a fractious meeting in the Oval Office last week and the US decision to suspend military aid to Kyiv.

Mr Trump quoted the Ukrainian leader’s words from a letter.

He read: “‘My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time that is convenient for you’.”

Mr Trump added: “I appreciate that he sent this letter… We’ve had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace. Wouldn’t that be beautiful?

“It’s time to stop this madness. It’s time to halt the killing. It’s time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars you have to talk to both sides.”

Mr Trump also criticised European countries for spending “more money buying Russian oil and gas” than on “defending Ukraine”.

Mr Trump said: “I want (the war in Ukraine) to stop.

“Europe has sadly spent more money buying Russian oil and gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine, by far. Think of that.

“And we’ve spent perhaps 350 billion dollars (£273 billion), like taking candy from a baby. That’s what happened.

“And they’ve spent 100 billion dollars (£78 billion) – what a difference that is. And we have an ocean separating us.”

The UK’s diplomatic push to act as a bridge between the US and Europe is continuing with Defence Secretary John Healey crossing the Atlantic.

Mr Healey is due to meet his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, on Thursday.

The Defence Secretary’s trip was agreed last week after Sir Keir announced an increase in the UK’s defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, and comes just days after the US halted military aid to Kyiv.

Before his trip, Mr Healey hailed the “special relationship” between the UK and the US and said it is “crucial that the UK and Europe step up further to take more responsibility for our security, and we are doing so”.

He added: “In the face of increasing global threats, we are cementing our ties as Nato allies, bolstering our national security and economic security, too.

“The Prime Minister was clear following his meetings over the past week that we will continue our dialogue with friends and allies to secure a path to a lasting peace in Ukraine.

“We will advance that work in Washington over the coming days.”

The increase in defence spending comes as figures showed one in 10 armed forces personnel – more than 13,500 people – are unfit to be deployed.

Figures released by the Ministry of Defence in a parliamentary answer showed just 54,695 members of the British Army – 76.9% of the total – are classed as “medically fully deployable” (MFD), with 9,478 (13.3%) classed as “medically limited deployable” (MLD) and 6,973 (9.8%) “medically not deployable” (MND).

Across the forces, 99,162 (78.1%) are fully deployable, 14,361 (11.3%) are classed as MLD and 13,503 (10.6%) are MND as of January 1.