Starmer Urges Putin to Prove Peace Intentions After Talks with Zelensky

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1652 EAT on Thursday 14 August 2025

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has told Fox News that President Donald Trump is prepared to “exhaust all options” to bring the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution, ahead of tomorrow’s high-stakes US-Russia summit in Alaska.

Leavitt confirmed that the summit will include a one-on-one meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, followed by a bilateral working lunch and a joint press conference.

“What comes after that meeting is up to President Trump,” she said, adding that the president has “plenty of tools at his disposal,” but is prioritizing diplomacy and negotiation.

“There are sanctions and many other measures the president can use if he has to,” Leavitt noted, while emphasising that Trump is focused on resolving the conflict through diplomatic means.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and presidential aide Yuri Ushakov—both veteran diplomats at the heart of Russian foreign policy—are expected to play pivotal roles in the upcoming US-Russia summit. Lavrov has headed the foreign ministry for more than two decades, while Ushakov, a key adviser to President Putin for over 10 years, previously served as Russia’s ambassador to the United States.

The presence of Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov suggests that discussions will extend beyond the war in Ukraine to include strategic security issues and the possibility of sanctions relief.

Also joining the delegation is Kirill Dmitriev, a Kremlin-linked financier with close ties to the Putin family. Dmitriev has been instrumental in fostering Russian connections with international business and U.S. political circles.

From the hug with which the prime minister greeted President Zelensky on his arrival at No 10, to the sunflowers in the vase during their conversation in the garden, and the sight of Keir Starmer breaking with protocol and walking his guest back to his car.

No one knows if any of it will work, but the determination of key European players and the speed at which they have operated in recent days has, in itself, been remarkable.

The meeting, just an hour long, caps a week of intense European diplomacy designed to show that Ukraine’s European allies have its back and make sure that their key demands – that a ceasefire comes first and that Ukraine needs credible security guarantees – are ringing in Donald Trump’s ears when he sits down with Vladimir Putin in Alaska tomorrow.

European Union officials say they understand that former President Donald Trump will debrief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders following his one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. While the debrief is expected to take place via phone, the exact format has yet to be confirmed.

In a joint statement following yesterday’s meeting of European leaders, officials reaffirmed a unified position: that a ceasefire must be the first step toward ending the war, and that decisions on territorial issues must be left entirely to Ukraine.

“Another point of consensus,” the statement noted, is the need to maintain pressure on Moscow, with work underway on a new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy.

Military support and investment in Ukraine will continue, the spokesperson added, as European governments work to “ensure Ukraine is in a position of strength in any negotiations with Russia.”

The EU also welcomed the prospect of U.S. participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s long-term security, but called on Washington to clarify how suck guarantees will be structured and implemented.

This morning’s meeting at Downing Street is the latest in a string of carefully choreographed diplomatic moves by European leaders aimed at demonstrating unwavering support for Ukraine — not only to Vladimir Putin, but also to Donald Trump.

The flurry of activity follows Trump’s surprise announcement last week that he will meet face to face with the Russian president in Alaska.

Since then, European diplomats have moved swiftly, orchestrating a series of high-level discussions to ensure Ukraine’s priorities — including a ceasefire and credible security guarantees — are front and centre.

Last Saturday, a significant gathering took place at Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s official country residence, Chevening, where national security advisers met during a private visit by U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and top presidential adviser Andrii Yermak were in attendance, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff joined remotely.

Further momentum came on Wednesday, when a multilateral call brought together President Zelensky and Donald Trump — a breakthrough that likely would not have occurred without sustained pressure from Ukraine’s European allies.

That remains to be seen. But former MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger says Europe’s efforts have been both strategic and significant.

Younger also pointed to recent increases in European military and economic aid to Ukraine, suggesting the continent is beginning to compensate for the reduced role of the U.S.

“I think we’re getting to the point now where [Europe] can actually start to effectively substitute for the tremendous contribution the U.S. has made,” he said.

Invest or Donate towards HICGI New Agency Global Media Establishment – Watch video here