PM lays down Ukraine peace demand ahead of Trump talks

kyiv must be at the heart of negotiations’ Lammy announces new Russian sanctions

- Toby Helm & Luke Harding Kyiv

Keir Starmer has raised the stakes before a crucial meeting in Washington with the US president, Donald Trump this week, by insisting that Ukraine must be "at the heart of any negotiations" on a peace deal with Russia.

The prime minister made the remarks - which run directly contrary to comments by the US president last week - in a phone call yesterday with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in which he also said that "safeguarding Ukraine's sovereignty was essential to deter future aggression from Russia".

Downing Street made clear that the prime minister would carry the same tough messages into his meeting with Trump in the White House on Thursday.

Starmer is likely to tell the US president that the UK will raise its defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product, in line with Labour's election manifesto commitment.

The prime minister is also expected to extend an invitation to Trump from King Charles for a second state visit to the UK.

But the meeting is also expected to represent the biggest test of Starmer's diplomatic and negotiating skills in his prime ministership by far, as he tries to retain good relations with Trump while making clear the UK and Europe's red lines on Ukraine and Russia.

In further signs of the UK government's resolve, it announces today that it will impose the largest package of sanctions against Moscow since the conflict began in a new attempt to harm Russia's economy and the supply of weapons to the frontline in its war with Ukraine.

David Lammy, the UK foreign secretary, who may fly to Washington with Starmer and attend the meeting with Trump, said the aim was to hit Russia's revenues and hamper Vladimir Putin's "military machine".