Sir Keir Starmer met with Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month. REUTERS
The UK played a crucial role in helping Ukraine and the US come to an agreement on a proposed ceasefire with Russia, according to government sources. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed willingness to accept a 30-day ceasefire but emphasized that the US must convince Russia to agree. This development follows high-level discussions in Saudi Arabia.
Over the past week, European leaders have been working to repair relations between the US and Ukraine. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer led efforts to bring both sides back on the same page. He called the agreement a "remarkable breakthrough" and an "important moment for peace in Ukraine."
UK sources revealed that National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell collaborated with his US counterpart, Mike Waltz, along with German and French officials. Together, they drafted a plan outlining steps for a ceasefire. Their proposal included a temporary halt in fighting, an exchange of prisoners, the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russia, and the release of civilians.
Powell visited Kyiv over the weekend to meet Zelensky and finalize the plan. The Ukrainians and Americans approved it, paving the way for negotiations in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. This meeting marked the first direct talks between US and Ukrainian officials since a tense confrontation in the White House.
Following the talks, the Trump administration announced it would resume military aid to Ukraine and restart intelligence-sharing. These had been suddenly halted due to earlier disagreements. After the agreement was reached, Sir Keir congratulated both parties and urged more efforts to secure lasting peace.
"As both American and Ukrainian delegations have said, the ball is now in the Russian court," Starmer stated. "Russia must now agree to a ceasefire and an end to the fighting too."
Former President Trump told reporters that US officials would engage with Moscow later on Tuesday or Wednesday to push negotiations forward. "We want to get this show on the road," he said.
On Saturday, Sir Keir will host a call with international leaders, calling it the "coalition of the willing." The goal is to discuss strategies to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching further attacks on Ukraine.
According to Starmer, the leaders on the call are "ready to help bring an end to this war in a just and permanent way that allows Ukraine to enjoy its freedom."
One of the key objectives of European diplomats has been to shift pressure onto Russia. A UK official stated, "The ball is firmly in the Russian court. Will they stop the fighting and allow real negotiations, or will they continue to slaughter innocent civilians?"
The war has led to hundreds of thousands of casualties on both sides, with millions of Ukrainian civilians displaced since Russia invaded over three years ago.
