British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on February 27 in an attempt to persuade Washington to continue its involvement in Ukraine’s security in the face of persistent Russian aggression.
Asserting that American backing would be required to guarantee a sustainable peace, Starmer reaffirmed the necessity of a U.S. “backstop” for a proposed European peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.
Trump underlined that before any peacekeeping personnel are sent in, a peace agreement must be established.
“I have confidence if we make a deal, it’s going to hold,” he said, adding that securing Ukraine’s long-term stability after an agreement is reached would be “the easy part.”
In the case of a ceasefire, the concept of a global peacekeeping force has been proposed as a possible security assurance for Ukraine.
Prior to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s planned trip to Washington on February 28, where he is expected to sign a crucial minerals agreement with the United States, the meeting was held.
Ukraine will contribute 50% of the earnings from the “future monetization” of state-owned mineral resources, such as oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure, to a fund established by the agreement.
Zelensky first objected to the deal because it lacked security guarantees, but he later stated that future talks will address the issue.
Trump emphasized America’s need for rare earth materials while referring to Zelensky’s impending visit while addressing reporters in the Oval Office. “President Zelensky is coming to see me on Friday morning,” Trump stated.
“And we’re going to be signing really a very important agreement for both sides because it’s really going to get us into that country, working there.”
U.S. strategy has changed in recent weeks, with the Trump administration stepping up diplomatic overtures to Russia in an attempt to mediate a speedy agreement while adopting a more combative approach toward Ukraine.
High-level bilateral negotiations between U.S. and Russian officials have resumed, with meetings scheduled for February 18 in Riyadh and February 27 in Istanbul.