SIR Keir Starmer hugged Volodmyr Zelensky in Downing Street today on the eve of the high-stakes Alaska summit.
The display of unity came ahead of tomorrow’s showdown between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on the future of Ukraine.
Hopes of a breakthrough to end the war are rising after the US President threw his weight behind trying to secure a ceasefire.
But the British PM today assured the Ukrainian leader he will stand by him for as long as it takes to secure a “just and lasting peace”.
After a long embrace outside No10, the pair held talks over a private breakfast to discuss tomorrow’s summit.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “They agreed there had been a powerful sense of unity and a strong resolve to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine .
“They then looked ahead to tomorrow’s talks between President Trump and President Putin in Alaska, which present a viable chance to make progress as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious about peace.”
President Zelensky later said the meeting was “productive” to “coordinate our positions”.
It followed a call between European leaders and President Trump yesterday to lay down some red lines for tomorrow’s Alaska talks.
The “Coalition of the Willing” countries led by Britain and France last night vowed to ratchet up economic sanctions if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire on Friday.
They also demanded a “lasting and significant cessation of hostilities”, no chance to Ukraine’s borders by force, and “robust” security guarantees for Ukraine.
Western leaders including the PM have said their troops stand ready to be deployed to Ukraine to keep the peace, and that there are “no limitations” on their numbers.
The Kremlin today confirmed the Trump-Putin meeting will start at 8.30pm UK time and see the two strongmen spend time alone.
They will then hold a press conference afterwards where the world will see if progress has been made.
Mr Trump has called the summit a “feel out” meeting where he will see if Putin is serious about ending the fighting.
He said a second meeting between Zelensky and Putin would hopefully be more productive.
The Ukrainian President is not attending tomorrow’s talks due to the gulf in differences between him and the Kremlin despot.
He has previously balked at suggestions by the White House that he should be forced to concede territory as a price of a ceasefire.
