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Last Updated:March 10, 2025, 23:56 IST
US and Ukrainian officials will meet for the first time after a White House spat between Trump and Zelenskyy last month, after which Washington froze military aid for Kyiv.
British PM Keir Starmer spoke to Donald Trump ahead of the US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia. (Reuters/File)
Ahead of talks between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the three-year war against Russia, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to US President Donald Trump, where he expressed hopes that the meeting would have a positive outcome and enable Washington to end its pause of US aid to Kyiv.
Those discussions from Tuesday will be the first meeting between US and Ukrainian officials since a White House blowup between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump that led to Washington halting military aid to Kyiv.
“The Prime Minister said he hoped there would be a positive outcome to the talks that would enable US aid and intelligence sharing to be restarted," Starmer’s spokesperson told reporters on Monday, adding the two leaders had also discussed an economic deal that they had raised during Starmer’s visit to Washington.
The spokesperson also said UK officials had been speaking to Ukrainian officials over the weekend ahead of the talks in Saudi Arabia and “they remained committed to a lasting peace".
After Zelenskyy’s ugly spat with Trump last month, Starmer has taken a leading role in diplomacy to boost support for Ukraine. He hosted talks involving Zelenskyy and other European leaders on March 2. At the same time, he is also balancing his relations with Trump, having met him in Washington on February 27, to protect Britain from US tariffs.
He and French President Emmanuel Macron hope their leadership can help them rescue their reputations at home and cement European security as Germany recovers from months of domestic political uncertainty.
ALSO READ: Ukraine To Propose Aerial, Naval Ceasefire To US In Saudi Arabia After Trump-Zelenskyy Spat
Will US Resume Military Aid? Marco Rubio Responds
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have arrived for the high-profile peace talks in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine’s proposal of a partial ceasefire has raised hopes of a breakthrough in the gruelling war.
An official told AFP that Ukraine will propose an aerial and naval ceasefire with Russia during talks with US officials. “Because these are the ceasefire options that are easy to install and to monitor, and it’s possible to start with them," he said
Rubio, who is leading the US delegation, said the idea had promise. He said on Monday that if the results of the Saudi meeting are satisfactory to Washington, military aid to Ukraine may resume.
“I think the notion of the pause in aid, broadly, is something I hope we can resolve. Obviously what happens tomorrow will be key to that," he told reporters on the plane to the Kingdom.
Zelenskyy ‘Apologises’ To Trump
The US has suspended military aid to Ukraine as well as intelligence sharing and access to satellite imagery in a bid to force it to the negotiating table with Russia. Zelenskyy also walked out of a minerals deal with Trump following his White House clash.
However, Zelenskyy has since called the spat “regrettable" and said he was willing to work with the US, including signing on the minerals deal. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Trump received a letter from Zelenskyy, calling it “a very positive first step" and “an apology".
Before his departure for Jeddah, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted peace, insisting Russia was the sole reason that the war was carrying on. Witkoff said Washington wanted to use the talks “to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well".
(with inputs from agencies)
Location :London, United Kingdom (UK)
First Published:March 10, 2025, 23:56 IST
News world UK's Starmer Speaks To Trump, Rubio Gives An Update On Ukraine Aid Resumption As Saudi Talks Loom
