LONDON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday that the UK remains committed to Ukraine being on an “irreversible path to NATO”, despite recent contradictory signals from the US regarding Kyiv’s future.
The reassurance comes after US President Donald Trump’s direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, sparking concerns among European leaders that Ukraine’s fate could be negotiated without its full involvement. Starmer emphasized that Ukraine must be included in any peace talks and highlighted the need for strong security guarantees, lethal aid, and a sovereign future for the country.
The US stance on Ukraine’s NATO membership remains unclear, with Trump’s deputy Ukraine envoy, John Coale, suggesting that NATO membership and a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders were still possible – contradicting recent statements from the US defense secretary. Zelenskiy, who also spoke with Trump, stressed the importance of collective security and tangible progress toward a lasting peace.