PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE UKRAINE SITUATION YESTERDAY:
President Trump’s efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine. His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended.
While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelenskyy. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him.
This morning, I spoke to President Zelenskyy, President Trump and other European partners, and we all stand ready to support this next phase.
I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal. This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more.
In the meantime, until he stops his barbaric assault, we will keep tightening the screws on his war machine with even more sanctions, which have already had a punishing impact on the Russian economy and its people.
Our unwavering support for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.
KEIR STARMER WAS ALSO A SIGNATORY TO A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ‘COALITION OF THE WILLING EUROPEAN LEADERS:
Statement by President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Starmer, President Stubb, Prime Minister Tusk, President Costa, President von der Leyen:
Early this morning, President Trump debriefed us and President Zelenskyy following his meeting with the Russian President in Alaska on 15 August 2025.
Leaders welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace.
As President Trump said ‘there’s no deal until there’s a deal’. As envisioned by President Trump, the next step must now be further talks including President Zelenskyy, whom he will meet soon.
We are also ready to work with President Trump and President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support.
We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We welcome President Trump’s statement that the US is prepared to give security guarantees.
The Coalition of the Willing is ready to play an active role. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO.
It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force.
Our support to Ukraine will continue. We are determined to do more to keep Ukraine strong in order to achieve an end to the fighting and a just and lasting peace.
As long as the killing in Ukraine continues, we stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia. We will continue to strengthen sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia’s war economy until there is a just and lasting peace.
Ukraine can count on our unwavering solidarity as we work towards a peace that safeguards Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.
UKRAINE’S leader Volodymyr Zelensky travels to Washington tomorrow for talks with the US President Donald Trump.
President Macron, Prime Minister Starmer and Chancellor Merz today co-chaired a virtual meeting of a grouping of ‘Coalition of the Willing’ leaders yesterday
President Macron, Prime Minister Starmer and Chancellor Merz co-chaired a virtual meeting of a grouping of ‘Coalition of the Willing’ Leaders and with the participation of President Zelenskyy and Vice-President Vance, ahead of President Trump’s meeting with President Putin in Alaska.
Leaders welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace. They welcomed the open discussions with President Trump earlier that day.
They were clear that the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.
It was necessary to continue an approach that combined active diplomacy, support to Ukraine and pressure on Russia. A diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.
They also reiterated that:
First, meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or a lasting and significant cessation of hostilities.
Second, sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia’s war economy should be strengthened if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire in Alaska.
Third, international borders must not be changed by force.
Fourth, Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Coalition of the Willing is ready to play an active role, including through plans by those willing to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia could not have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO.
They confirmed they would continue to cooperate closely with President Trump and with the United States of America, and with President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Statement by President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Tusk, Prime Minister Starmer, President von der Leyen and President Stubb on Peace for Ukraine ahead of President Trump’s planned meeting with President Putin.
We welcome President Trump’s work to stop the killing in Ukraine, end the Russian Federation’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine.
We are convinced that only an approach that combines active diplomacy, support to Ukraine and pressure on the Russian Federation to end their illegal war can succeed.
We stand ready to support this work diplomatically as well as by upholding our substantive military and financial support to Ukraine, including through the work of the Coalition of the Willing, and by upholding and imposing restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.
We share the conviction that a diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.
We agree that these vital interests include the need for robust and credible security guarantees that enable Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny.
Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force. The current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations.
We reiterate that Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Budapest Memorandum, and successive Russian commitments. We underline our unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
We continue to stand firmly by the side of Ukraine. We are united as Europeans and determined to jointly promote our interests.
And we will continue to cooperate closely with President Trump and with the United States of America, and with President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, for a peace in Ukraine that protects our vital security interests.
Joint Statement from the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom
The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom strongly reject the decision of the Israeli Security Cabinet on 8th August to launch an additional large-scale military operation in Gaza.
It will aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages, and further risk the mass displacement of civilians. The plans that the Government of Israel has announced risk violating international humanitarian law. Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law.
We urge the parties and the international community to make all efforts to finally bring this terrible conflict to an end now, through an immediate and permanent ceasefire that enables the provision of a massive, immediate and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, as the worst-case scenario of a famine is unfolding in Gaza. Hamas must release all hostages without further delay or precondition and must ensure they are humanely treated and not subject to cruelty and humiliation.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic. We call on the Government of Israel to urgently find solutions to amend its recent registration system of international humanitarian organisations, to ensure these vital actors of humanitarian aid can continue their essential work again in line with humanitarian principles to reach the civilians in need in Gaza. Their exclusion would be an egregious signal.
We are united in our commitment to the implementation of a negotiated two-state solution as the only way to guarantee that both Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace, security, and dignity.
A political resolution based on a negotiated two-state solution requires the total demilitarisation of Hamas and its complete exclusion from any form of governance in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian Authority must have a central role.
IT’S worth noting that the United States is NOT a signatory. And the US is perhaps the only country that Netanyahu listens to. The slaughter will go on …and all the while our UK government continues to provide arms to Israel.
The Prime Minister will travel to Scotland today to meet the President for talks on his golf course in Turnberry
The leaders are expected to discuss progress on implementing the UK-US trade deal, hopes for a ceasefire in the Middle East and applying pressure on Putin to end the war in Ukraine
The leaders will travel on together for a further private engagement in Aberdeen
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet US President Donald Trump in Scotland today for wide-ranging talks.
The Prime Minister will travel to the President’s golf course in Turnberry, ahead of Trump’s landmark second State Visit to the UK in September.
Over the course of the visit, the leaders are expected to talk one-to-one about advancing implementation of the landmark Economic Prosperity Deal so that Brits and Americans can benefit from boosted trade links between their two countries.
The Prime Minister is also expected to welcome the President’s administration working with partners in Qatar and Egypt to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza.
He will discuss further with him what more can be done to secure the ceasefire urgently, bring an end to the unspeakable suffering and starvation in Gaza and free the hostages who have been held so cruelly for so long.
Securing peace in Ukraine will also be high on the agenda, with the Prime Minister and President set to talk about their shared desire to bring an end to the barbaric war. It is expected they will reflect on progress in their 50-day drive to arm Ukraine and force Putin to the negotiating table.
It’s quite possible that President Trump may change that agenda, of course.
After their meeting they will travel on together to a private engagement in Aberdeen.
The UK and the US have ‘one of the closest, most productive alliances the world has ever seen’, working together to cooperate on defence, intelligence, technology and trade.
The UK was the first country to agree a deal with the US that lowered tariffs on key sectors and has received one of the lowest reciprocal tariff rates in the world.
Businesses in the aerospace and autos sectors are already benefitting from the ‘strong relationship the UK has with the US’ and the deal agreed on 8 May.
The Government says it is ‘working at pace with the US to go further to deliver benefits to working people on both sides of the Atlantic and to give UK industry the security it needs, protect vital jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets through the Plan for Change’.
TWO WEEKS? HE COULDN’T WAIT TWO DAYS TO ATTACK IRAN
The United States of America has bombed three nuclear sites in Iran.
The overnight attack by ‘our great American Warriors’ has been welcomed by Israel, who initiated the latest conflict with Iran last week.
US President Trump, without a trace of irony, is now calling for peace!
Also calling for peace, but perhaps with more sincerity, is the United Nations – which has once again been found to be impotent when faced with international agression by major military powers.
United Nations general secretary António Guterres said in a statement: “I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today. This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.
“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.
“I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.
“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos.
“There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”
Some US politicians have also expressed concern that Congress was not consulted over the agression.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said on Twitter: “President Trump sending U.S. troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of our Constitution.“
World leaders, including Great Britain, with our so-called ‘special relationship’, will doubtless call for restraint and urge negotiations this morning, but let’s be honest: Trump, and by association Netanyahu, will do exactly what he wants. And who can stop him?
Predictably, the UK did not condemn the actions of the US.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued this short statement: “Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat.
“The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.”
PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER’s WORDS AT KYIV PRESS CONFERENCE
Volodymyr, friends, it is a real pleasure to be here in Kyiv with you all. With Emmanuel, with Friedrich, and with Donald.
This is Europe, stepping up, showing our solidarity with Ukraine, and also showing during this week when we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day that we understand the lessons of history.
The lesson that any veteran of Normandy, of North Africa or any other campaign will tell you but that Putin has not yet grasped:
There is no glory in aggression and conquest – glory comes from fighting for your country, defending your people, and winning the peace.
And that is the message of this moment.
Volodymyr, we stand with you to secure the just and lasting peace that Ukraine deserves.
It’s almost two months now since you agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire. In that time Russia has launched some of the most deadly attacks on civilians of the entire war. Including here in Kyiv.
Normal lives, homes, families destroyed.
This is what Russia offers in place of peace along with delays and smokescreens – like the current 72 hour ceasefire.
And so all of us here – together with the US – are calling Putin out.
If he’s serious about peace then he has a chance to show it now – by extending the VE Day pause into a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire with negotiations to follow immediately, once a ceasefire is agreed.
No more ifs and buts. No more conditions and delays. Putin didn’t need conditions when he wanted a ceasefire to have a parade. And he doesn’t need them now.
Ukraine has shown their willingness to engage again and again. But again and again Putin has refused.
So we are clear – all five leaders here, all the leaders of the meeting we just had with the Coalition of the Willing – an unconditional ceasefire rejecting Putin’s conditions. And clear that if he turns his back on peace, we will respond.
Working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraine’s defence to pressure Russia back to the table.
And that’s what we have been discussing today – as well as securing Ukraine’s future for the longer term.
Convening the latest meeting of the Coalition of the Willing with partners joining virtually from around Europe and across the world – lining up to support Ukraine’s future strength and security, discussing operational plans and making concrete commitments of support across land, air and sea.
We want to help Ukraine look to the future with confidence – so we’re working to boost Ukraine’s economy.
And as a vital step, I’m pleased that UK experts have been on the ground leading work to support the resumption of flights into Ukraine, once a ceasefire is achieved.
It will take time – but this will be a huge moment in reconnecting Ukraine’s economy, boosting investor confidence, and helping to reunite families separated by this war.
Ukraine secure and thriving – that is what we all want to see.
With our 100-year partnership, the Critical Minerals deal with the US, and our Coalition of the Willing, we are building the framework for peace in Ukraine to support a better future for the Ukrainian people.
And to pledge once again, in our all interests, and on this anniversary, that aggression will never prevail on our continent.
First Minister John Swinney has written to the Conveners of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party groups on India and Pakistan to express his support in light of the recent tensions between the two countries, following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
In his letter, the First Minister said: “For many in the community, this may be a worrying time, and my thoughts are with those who have family and friends in the region. Scotland’s Indian and Pakistani communities enrich Scotland socially, culturally, and economically.
“I have called upon leaders in the region to choose dialogue, diplomacy, and shared humanity ahead of force and bloodshed. There can be no winners from further military escalation. Protecting civilians is urgent and paramount.
“My officials are in contact with various stakeholders in the communities, as well as with Police Scotland, Universities Scotland, and diplomatic missions. I would urge you to support that dialogue and bring to us any concerns you hear from Scotland’s Indian and Pakistani communities.”
Keeping democracy healthy in Europe is key theme, says organiser
Scotland’s second Festival of Europe is being held at the French Institute, Edinburgh, on 10th and 11th May. Backed by the European Movement in Scotland and a wide range of other organisations, a major theme of the two-day event is “The Future of European Democracy”.
The Festival comes at a time when far right parties are on the rise across Europe and, as Donald Trump’s administration changes the global order that has been in place since the end of World War 2.
Mark Lazarowicz, one of the conference organisers and a former Edinburgh MP, says: “The world is more unstable today than at any time in the past 80 years. There are powerful political forces at work here, in Europe, the USA and globally that want to tear down the institutions and ideas that have brought freedom, dignity, security and stability to millions.
“We have assembled an outstanding cast of speakers who will explain where we are now and look at how we can keep democracy healthy in Europe.”
Among the issues to be discussed are proposals to revitalise the European project of political and economic integration, how the EU should respond to hard right politics, how political parties and civil society can strengthen liberal democracy and what the prospects for closer ties between Scotland, the UK and the EU.
On the economics front, the recent report on the future of European competitiveness is being seen as a vital blueprint for Europe, a matter made far more urgent by America’s new protectionist trade policy. A conference session will look at how the report recommendations can be implemented the implications for economies across Europe, including Scotland and the UK.
MSP Clare Adamson and Alistair Mackie, Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, will look at progress on the Face the Music campaign. Brexit has meant that artists, performers and technical specialists who support performers have lost income and bookings across Europe.
To book tickets for The Future of European Democracy Conference and all the other events taking place as part of the Festival of Europe go to
Tanja Bueltmann, Professor of International History at the University of Strathclyde. She specialises in the history of migration and diaspora. She is also a citizens’ rights campaigner and founder of the EU Citizens’ Champion campaign.
Mark Leonard is co-founder and director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, currently the Henry A Kissinger Chair in foreign policy and international relations at the US Library of Congress, Washington DC.
Sophie Pornschlegel is Deputy Director of Europe Jacques Delors, a Brussels-based think tank. She is also a Policy Fellow with Das Progressive Zentrum in Berlin.
Alyn Smith was an SNP Member of the European Parliament for Scotland from 2004-2019 and SNP MP for Stirling from 2019 to 2024. He was the party’s Westminster lead on Europe until last year.
Sir Graham Robert Watson was a Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament between 1994 and 2014. He is a previous leader of the Liberal Group in the European Parliament,
Sandro GoziMEP sits for France in the European Parliament. He is Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly. He is a former Minister for European Affairs in the Italian government.
Catherine Barnard has been Professor of European Union and Employment Law at the University of Cambridge since 2008. She has also been Deputy Director of the UK in a Changing Europe think-tank.
Cecilia Jastrzembska is President, Young European Movement (YEM). She has worked as a senior policy advisor in UK government departments. She has also held leadership roles in the Young European Socialists. She speaks and writes on feminism, climate change and AI, and European citizens’ rights.
Stephen Gethins has been an SNP MP from 2015-2019 and from 2024. He was SNP Spokesperson for International Affairs and Europe at Westminster. He is Professor of Practice in International Relations at the University of St. Andrews. He has worked in the NGO sector specialising in peace-building, arms control and democracy in the Caucasus and the Balkans.
Alistair Mackie, Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Originally from Ayrshire, Alistair Mackie was appointed Chief Executive of the RSNO in 2019. A classical musician before entering management, he was principal trumpet with the London Sinfonietta and a professor at The Royal College of Music.
Clare Adamson MSP is Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. She will talk about the committee’s work and the cross-party parliamentary support for the Face the Music campaign.
The Festival of Europe website contains information on other events being held across Scotland to mark Europe Day. They include Edinburgh performances by award winning singer, Christine Bovill and walking tours in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Fife that will look at Scotland’s historic ties with Europe.
The Pentland Ukrainian Support Group (PUSG) is holding a Europe-themed party.
The Citizens Rights Project is holding a conference looking at the issues and challenges facing EU citizens in Scotland.
The Business and Trade Secretary’s statement to Parliament on the imposition of US tariffs
With your permission Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the United Kingdom’s economic relationship with the United States.
The UK has a strong and balanced trading relationship with the US worth £315 billion which supports 2.5 million jobs across both countries. This is second only to the EU where our trading relationship is worth £791 billion.
Yesterday evening, the United States announced a 10% reciprocal tariff on UK exports and have today imposed a 25% global tariff on cars. This follows the application of tariffs of 25% on US imports of steel, aluminium and derivative products that was announced on 12 March.
No country was able to secure an exemption from these announcements, but the UK did receive the lowest reciprocal tariff rate globally. And though this vindicates the pragmatic approach this Government has taken, we know that while these tariffs are still being levied, the job is far from done.
We are, of course, disappointed by the increase in tariffs on the UK, and on other countries around the world. The impact will be felt amongst all trading nations. But I would like to update the House on how the UK can navigate these turbulent times, acting in our national interest and for the benefit of all our industries.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my American counterparts, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Special Envoy Mark Burnett for their engagement over the last few months. While any imposition of tariffs is deeply regrettable, from the beginning, they promised to make themselves available and have been true to their word, and I look forward to our continued engagement over the days ahead.
As Members will know, since the new US administration took office, my colleagues and I have been engaged in intensive discussions on an economic deal between the US and the UK. One that would not just avoid the imposition of significant tariffs but that would deepen our economic relationship. On everything from defence, economic security, financial services, machinery, tech and regulation there are clear synergies between the US and UK markets. And this is reflected in the fair and balanced trading relationship that already exists between our two countries.
I can confirm to the House that those talks are ongoing and will remain so. It is this Government’s view that a deal is not just possible, it is favourable to both countries. And that this course of action serves Britain’s interests as an open-facing trading nation. I have been in contact with many businesses, across a broad range of sectors including those most affected, who have very much welcomed this approach. It is clear to me that industry themselves want to grasp the opportunity a deal can offer and they welcome this government’s cool-headed approach.
Madam Deputy Speaker, in increasingly insecure times – I have heard some Members cling to the security of simple answers and loud voices. I understand the compulsion, but I caution members of this House to keep calm and remain clear eyed on what is in our national interest not to simply proclaim that we follow the actions of other countries.
The British people rightly expect this Government to keep our country secure at home and strong abroad. An unnecessary, escalating trade war would serve neither purpose.
True strength comes in making the right choices at the right time. And thanks to the actions of our Prime Minister, who has restored Britain’s place on the world stage, the UK is in a unique position to do a deal where we can – and respond when we must.
It remains our belief that the best route to economic stability for working people is a negotiated deal with the US that builds on our shared strengths. However, we do reserve the right to take any action we deem necessary if a deal is not secured.
To enable the UK to have every option open to us in the future, I am today launching a request for input on the implications for British businesses of possible retaliatory action.
This is a formal step, necessary for us to keep all options on the table. We will seek the views of UK stakeholders over four weeks until 1st May 2025 on products that could potentially be included in any UK tariff response. This exercise will also give businesses the chance to have their say, and influence the design of any possible UK response.
If we are in a position to agree an economic deal with the US that lifts the tariffs that have been placed on our industries, this request for input will be paused, and any measures flowing from that, will be lifted.
Further information on the request for input will be published on gov.uk later today, alongside an indicative list of potential products that the Government considers most appropriate for inclusion.
I know this will be an anxious time for all businesses, not just those with direct links to America. Let me say very clearly that we stand ready to support businesses through this. That starts by making sure they have reliable information. Any business which is concerned about what these changes mean for them can find clear guidance and support on great.gov.uk where there is now a bespoke webpage.
Madam Deputy Speaker, this Government was elected to bring security back to working people’s lives. At a time of volatility, businesses and workers alike are looking to the Government to keep our heads, to act in the national interest and navigate Britain through this period. And while some urge escalation, I simply will not play politics with people’s jobs.
This Government will strive for a deal that supports our industries and the well-paid jobs that come with them, while preparing our trade defences and keeping all options on the table.
It is the right approach to defend the UK’s domestic industries from the direct and indirect impacts of US tariffs in a way that is both measured and proportionate, while respecting the rules-based international trading system.
As the world continues to change around us, British workers and businesses can be assured of one constant: that this is a Government that will not be set off course in choppy waters. So the final part of our approach will be to turbo boost the work this government is doing to make our economy stronger and more secure including our new industrial strategy. We will strike trade deals with our partners, and work closely with our allies for our shared prosperity.
We have a clear destination to deliver that economic security for working people.
We are progressing a deal that can do that, we are laying the foundations to move quickly should it not, and we are ensuring British businesses have a clear voice in what happens next. And I commend this statement to the House.
