UK prime minister hails “breakthrough” as Ukraine security talks deepen in Washington

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has convened a fresh round of high-level talks with European leaders in Washingt on August 19, focused on finalising security guarantees for Ukraine and advancing diplomatic efforts to end the war.

Following August 18 summit at the White House — attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — Sir Keir confirmed that work on the security guarantees would intensify starting today, in coordination with the United States, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“The two outcomes were a real significant breakthrough when it comes to security guarantees, because we’re now going to be working with the US on those security guarantees,” the Prime Minister told media.

“We’ve tasked our teams, some of them are even arriving tomorrow, to start the detailed work on that.”

Starmer’s remarks come amid a renewed diplomatic push to create a framework for lasting peace, with the UK and European allies aligning closely with Washington. Today’s meeting between European leaders aims to translate the summit’s political momentum into detailed policy.

Describing August 18 talks as “good and constructive,” Sir Keir highlighted the growing sense of transatlantic unity around Ukraine:

“There was a real sense of unity between the European leaders, Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy,” he said.

One of the most notable developments from the summit was US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had personally spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin to initiate a bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral discussion involving Trump himself.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed openness to such talks, stating he was “ready” for both bilateral and trilateral meetings. However, he also issued a caution: if Russia shows no genuine willingness to engage, Ukraine will expect the United States to respond accordingly.

Sir Keir also welcomed Trump's initiative to involve Ukraine directly in negotiations, underlining the importance of Kyiv’s presence at the negotiating table:

“That is a recognition of the principle that on some of these issues, whether it’s territory or the exchange of prisoners, or the very serious issue of the return of children, that is something where Ukraine must be at the table.”

By Vafa Guliyeva