British PM Starmer visits Kyiv on final foreign trip before leaving office

Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in Kyiv for a final round of talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, just four days before he is scheduled to officially step down from office.

The high-profile diplomatic visit, confirmed by 10 Downing Street on Thursday, July 16, serves as a capstone to Starmer’s tenure. His departure follows an internal party revolt on June 22, when he announced his resignation as both Prime Minister and Labour Party leader after losing the confidence of his own members of parliament. The race to succeed him formally commenced on July 9.

Despite the looming transition of power in London, Downing Street used the occasion to underscore the enduring nature of the UK-Ukraine alliance. In an official statement, the Prime Minister’s office highlighted Starmer’s diplomatic legacy, noting that under his leadership, the UK successfully assembled a "coalition of the willing" consisting of 34 nations committed to providing robust, post-conflict security guarantees to Kyiv.

The statement also pointed to the landmark 100-year partnership agreement signed between the two nations as a testament to their long-term strategic alignment.

By Tamilla Hasanova