British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged President-elect Trump to cooperate with Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Mr. Starmer and Mr. Trump spoke by phone on Wednesday, their second phone conversation since Mr. Trump won last month's presidential election.
During the call, the Prime Minister congratulated President Trump on his recent Cabinet nominations and “reiterated the need for our allies to stand together with Ukraine.” UK Government Statement This is what I said about the phone.
Starmer said Western allies needed to ensure Ukraine was in the “strongest possible position” in the face of Russia's continued aggression as the war entered its third year.
As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, Starmer also stressed the “need to work together” to ensure peace and security in the region.
Mr. Starmer and Mr. Trump agreed that they wanted to strengthen the relationship between Britain and the United States. The two leaders said they looked forward to cooperating on international security and economic growth.
The British report said the two countries agreed to keep in touch and meet face-to-face at the “earliest opportunity”.
Earlier this week, President Trump expressed confidence that the Russia-Ukraine war could be resolved, but he also noted that it would be more difficult than the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
President Trump said the war in Gaza would be in a “good place” when he takes office in January. But dealing with Russia and Ukraine will be “more difficult.”
President Trump cited the complexity of the war with the addition of North Korean troops supporting Russia. He also criticized the Biden administration's move to authorize Ukraine to use long-range missiles capable of striking deep into Russia.
The president-elect has long promised to end the war in Ukraine in one day if re-elected. His pledge has raised concerns that he will allow Russia to seize land in Ukraine, but he has provided few details about how he will tackle the conflict.
The Hill has reached out to Trump's transition team for comment.
