The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has reiterated Britain’s commitment to Ukraine ahead of a high-profile summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Speaking after a call with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, Mr Lammy emphasised that the UK would continue to work closely with both the United States and Ukraine to secure a “just and lasting peace”. Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, he stated that the UK “stands with Ukraine on what will be an important day for the future of Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic security”.
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Mr Sybiha welcomed Britain’s position, praising its “principled stance” and leadership within the international “Coalition of the Willing”. He said that his conversation with Mr Lammy focused on strengthening diplomatic efforts to achieve “a real peace for Ukraine and all of Europe”. The two also discussed long-term financial assistance and further measures to bolster Ukraine’s resilience in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.
The summit between President Trump and President Putin is taking place in Anchorage, Alaska, where discussions are expected to centre on ending more than three years of conflict following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Mr Trump described the meeting as “high stakes”, stating that he wanted to see a ceasefire “rapidly”, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that the negotiations must not overlook the reality of continued Russian attacks. Mr Zelensky called for a wider “meeting of leaders”, bringing together Ukraine, the United States and Russia, alongside European partners.
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Senior figures in the UK Government have also voiced their support for Ukraine ahead of the talks. Defence Secretary John Healey said Britain’s role was to support Ukraine both “on the battlefield and in the negotiations”, while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer compared Ukraine’s struggle with the fight for freedom during the Second World War. Both stressed that diplomacy, not military action alone, would ultimately be required to bring an end to the war.
