Sir Keir Starmer and five other European leaders will accompany Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington, in a major show of unity ahead of peace talks with Donald Trump. The Ukrainian war leader will land in the US as he returns to the White House after President Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Sir Keir's role at the White House is likely to rely on the rarity of his strong relationships with both Trump and Zelensky.

WASHINGTON—Ukraine’s future could hinge on a hastily assembled meeting Monday at the White House as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brings with him an extraordinary cadre of European leaders to show US President Donald Trump a united front against Russia.

Sir Keir Starmer is prepared to support a peace deal in Ukraine without a ceasefire being in place, No 10 has indicated, as the prime minister reiterated that he is prepared to put “boots on the ground” to ensure security in the event of an agreement being struck.

It is quite possible that Monday's meeting in the White House could prove even more crucial to the future of Ukraine - and for all of Europe's security - than last Friday's US-Russia summit in Alaska. On the surface, that Putin-Trump reunion seemed to live down to every expectation.