Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a statement on Defence spending at Downing Street on February 25, 2025 in London, England. Earlier today Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a commitment to increase the UK's defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, along with the goal of increasing it to 3% during the next parliament. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday they welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's leadership in working towards a durable peace in Ukraine.
A spokesperson for Starmer's office said both leaders spoke over the phone earlier on Tuesday and reiterated Ukraine must be at the heart of any peace negotiations over the war with Russia, and that Europe was ready to play its part.
Macron met Trump on Monday and Starmer will travel to Washington this week.
Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also spoke by telephone, both leaders said in social media posts.
Macron, writing on X, said efforts were continuing to achieve a "solid and lasting peace in Ukraine". Zelenskiy thanked Macron for his support in his nightly video address.
(Reporting by Catarina Demony; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Ron Popeski and Marguerita Choy)
