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What did Starmer take to Washington?
Summary
A look back at the talks on Russia's war against Ukraine that the UK prime minister held with the US president, days after a minerals deal was announced.
What did Britain's prime minister carry to Washington on 27 February 2025? The answer was both political and ceremonial. Keir Starmer met US President Donald Trump for talks that included the peace negotiations over the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Starmer also presented a letter from King Charles III. It invited Trump to visit London later that year, adding a diplomatic gesture to a meeting otherwise dominated by the war.
A minerals deal two days earlier
The meeting followed an announcement from Kyiv on 25 February 2025. Ukrainian Justice Minister Olha Stefanishyna said Ukraine had reached a deal with the United States on mineral resources.
Taken together, the two days placed Ukraine at the centre of Washington's diplomacy: one announcement from Kyiv on cooperation with the US, then a meeting between the US and UK leaders that took in the prospects for negotiating peace.
