Key events
Ukraine cause akin to second world war allies, Starmer says before Trump-Putin Alaska talks
Ukraine is fighting for the same values as the allies did in the second world war, Keir Starmer has said before a summit in Alaska between US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Addressing a reception in Downing Street, including veterans, to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, which marked the allies’ defeat of Japan, the prime minister said:
I sat on this terrace this very morning with President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, who is fighting for the same values as we were fighting for. And so when we say never forget, we must pass on the stories of those who have gone before us.
It came as Trump suggested European leaders could be invited to a second meeting if the summit is successful. Trump will meet Putin on Friday at the summit which could see the drawing up of peace terms for Ukraine.
Trump and Starmer have spoken optimistically about a potential ceasefire, including at a virtual meeting of Ukrainian allies on Wednesday.
Leaders of the European-led ‘coalition of the willing’ could then join talks between Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy to end the war. The PA news agency understands that Starmer will attend a meeting if he is invited.
Also today, defence secretary John Healey is on morning media round for the government, while shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge is doing the same for the Conservatives. I’ll bring you any interesting lines from them in a moment.
But first, in other developments:
