Ukraine ‘must determine its future’, says Starmer after call with Zelensky

Ukraine “must determine its future under its sovereignty”, Sir Keir Starmer has said following a call with Volodymyr Zelensky about a US-backed peace plan.

The Prime Minister said he along with French and German leaders had emphasised to Mr Zelensky their support for Ukraine and the “fundamental principle” that Kyiv should be in charge of its own destiny.

Following the call, Sir Keir told broadcasters: “We all want a just and lasting peace. That’s what the president of America wants. That’s what we all want.

“And so we need to work from where we are to that end.

“But the principle that Ukraine must determine its future under its sovereignty is a fundamental principle.”

His call with Mr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz follows reports that the White House had pressed Ukraine to agree a plan that would see Kyiv surrender territory and limit the size of its army.

The deal is said to have been negotiated by Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin representative Kirill Dmitriev.

The US president said on Friday that Mr Zelensky is “going to have to approve it”.

He referred back to what he had told the Ukrainian president in February during a testy Oval Office meeting, when he told him “you don’t have the cards”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Moscow had received the proposal and cautiously welcomed it on Friday, saying it “could form the basis of a final peace settlement”.

But he said the plan had not been discussed with the Russian side “in any substantive way” and that he assumed this was because the US had not been able to get Ukraine’s consent.

Following Friday’s call, Mr Zelensky said it was “one of the most difficult moments” in Ukraine’s history.

He said in a video address to the nation: “Currently, the pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest.

“Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice, either losing its dignity or the risk of losing a key partner.”

Mr Zelensky vowed to “work calmly with America and all partners”.

No 10 said Sir Keir, Mr Zelensky and the other leaders on the call had agreed to “co-ordinate with partners and allies in the coming days” on a plan to end the war, including at the Johannesburg G20 summit.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “They underlined their support for President Trump’s drive for peace and agreed that any solution must fully involve Ukraine, preserve its sovereignty and ensure its future security.

“The leaders agreed to co-ordinate with partners and allies in the coming days, including at the G20, as discussions on how best to achieve a lasting peace continued.”

Sir Keir spoke to Mr Zelensky from South Africa, where it is thought he intends to use his attendance at the G20 summit to shore up support for Kyiv.

On the flight to Johannesburg on Thursday night, the Prime Minister told reporters: “My position has always been focused on a just and lasting peace. That’s why we have done so much work on the Coalition of the Willing.

“But that is premised on the principle underpinning that, which is central to me, which is that the future of Ukraine must be determined by Ukraine and we must never lose sight of that principle underpinning the just and lasting peace that we all want to see.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, an ally of the US president, expressed opposition to the Trump administration plan.

“Ukraine being asked to halve the size of its army is unacceptable. I am waiting to see a counter-proposal from Zelensky’s government,” he posted on X.