European leaders are set to gather for an emergency summit on the war in Ukraine as concerns grow over Donald Trump’s interventions on the peace process.
Sir Keir Starmer, who is expected to attend the summit in Paris, said it was a “once-in-a-generation moment for our national security” and it was clear Europe must take a greater role in Nato.
It comes after Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine said European leaders would be consulted but not take part in any talks between US and Russia over ending the war in Ukraine.
US senior officials are due to meet with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia in coming days, US officials have said.
In remarks likely to raise concern in Ukraine and among European allies, special envoy Keith Kellogg said previous negotiations had failed because too many parties had been involved.
“It may be like chalk on the blackboard, it may grate a little bit, but I am telling you something that is really quite honest,” he said on Saturday.
Sir Keir is understood to see his role as bringing US and Europe together to ensure a united approach to peace in Ukraine.
The UK prime minister will discuss the views of European leaders when he visits US President Trump at the White House at the end of this month.
A further meeting of European leaders together with President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected after the UK prime minister returns from Washington.
Sir Keir said the UK would “work to ensure we keep the US and Europe together”, adding the two could not “allow any divisions in the alliance to distract” from “external enemies”.
“This is a once in a generation moment for our national security where we engage with the reality of the world today and the threat we face from Russia,” he said.
“It’s clear Europe must take on a greater role in Nato as we work with the United States to secure Ukraine’s future and face down the threat we face from Russia.”
Earlier, Ukraine’s President Zelensky called for the creation of an “army of Europe” amid rising concern the US may no longer come to the continent’s aid.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he said US Vice-President JD Vance’s speech at the event had made it clear that the old relationship between Europe and America was “ending” and the continent “needs to adjust to that”.
But Zelensky also said Ukraine would “never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement” after Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to start peace talks.
The US president earlier this week announced he had a lengthy conversation with the Russian leader and that negotiations to stop the “ridiculous war” in Ukraine would begin “immediately”.
Trump then “informed” Zelensky of his plan.
On Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with Russia’s foreign minister “building on” Wednesday’s call between Trump and Putin.
Senior officials from the Trump administration will start peace talks with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia in the coming days, US Representative Michael McCaul told Reuters news agency.
McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he understood Zelensky had been invited to take part in the Saudi talks, which were aimed at arranging a meeting with Trump, Putin and the Ukrainian president “to finally bring peace and end this conflict”.
A day earlier, Vance had launched a scalding attack on European democracies, saying the greatest threat facing the continent was not from Russia and China, but “from within”.
In a speech at the Munich Security Conference, he repeated the Trump administration’s line that Europe must “step up in a big way to provide for its own defence”.
David Lammy has said the UK and EU countries must spend more on defence, with Europe facing an “existential question” even in the event of a negotiated peace in Ukraine.
The UK foreign secretary told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday “Putin will not go away”, and that, while it was positive 23 Nato countries were now spending at least 2% of their GDP on defence, “we all know we have to go upward”.
