India and the UK have signed a $468 million missile deal, marking a major defense and trade milestone during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to New Delhi. PM Modi called the emerging trade pact a "roadmap of shared progress," signaling deepening strategic and economic ties. What does this mean for global power dynamics, defense cooperation, and India’s push toward greater self-reliance?

UK PM Starmer Backs India’s 'Rightful Place' At The UN Security Council

#Gravitas UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made it clear that there will be no relaxation of visa rules for Indian nationals. His visit to Mumbai focuses on strengthening business ties between New Delhi and London, with no plans to increase visa access for highly skilled Indian workers despite the Free Trade Agreement.


UK PM Starmer in Mumbai to Court Business, Says No to Visa Boost for Indians

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Mumbai for a two-day visit. His schedule today includes attending a soccer event at Cooperage Ground, visiting Yash Raj Studios, and meeting several leading industrialists.


UK PM Starmer's visit boosts India-UK bilateral trade with key talks 

UK Digital ID: PM Keir Starmer Announces Plans to Launch Digital ID Scheme to Curb Illegal Migration | WION Shorts

In a bid to curb illegal immigration in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday (September 26) said his government will bring a plan to introduce free digital ID for both nationals and those residing in the country. He called it "an enormous opportunity for the UK" and said that the move will secure the borders from illegal immigration.


UK Digital ID: Keir Starmer Announces Plans To Launch Digital ID To Curb Illegal Migration

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned violent scenes at a massive far-right rally in London led by Tommy Robinson. With over 110,000 anti-immigration protesters and multiple arrests, Starmer said Britain “will never surrender” its national flag to extremists who promote fear and division. Hope Not Hate called speeches at the rally “extremely disturbing” as police confirmed 26 officers were injured in clashes.

'UK will not surrender flag’ to far-right after violent London rally: Keir Starmer 

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned violent scenes at a massive far-right rally in London led by Tommy Robinson. With over 110,000 anti-immigration protesters and multiple arrests, Starmer said Britain “will never surrender” its national flag to extremists who promote fear and division. Hope Not Hate called speeches at the rally “extremely disturbing” as police confirmed 26 officers were injured in clashes.


Starmer vows UK will not ‘surrender flag’ to far-right after violent London rally

Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a tough question: will Deputy PM Angela Rayner be sacked if found to have breached the ministerial code over underpaid stamp duty? Rayner referred herself to the ethics adviser after admitting a tax “mistake,” raising alarm bells about integrity and accountability. While Starmer pledges to "act" on the forthcoming report, he stops short of confirming any firing. This moment spotlights political scrutiny, legal advice around trusts, and the limits of ministerial accountability in modern Westminster.

Keir Starmer to sack his deputy Rayner? 

Keir Starmer to sack his deputy Rayner? | UK Prime Minister declines an answer

A phone was planted in the House of Commons as part of an attempted prank which would have seen 'sex noises' broadcast during Prime Minister’s Questions, it has emerged. Parliamentary authorities have launched an inquiry into how a mobile was hidden near where Keir Starmer was due to stand in the front benches on Wednesday.


UK prank: Phone plays 'sex noises' during Starmer's questioning | Hilarious or concerning? 

As the Labour government marks its first year in office, Keir Starmer faces a political crisis. With plummeting poll numbers, a right-wing surge by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, broken policy promises, and a party rebellion over welfare cuts, Britain's PM is battling to hold his ground amid economic and leadership turmoil.

Poll reveals 28% Labour members support Corbyn

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the UK is prepared to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless Israel takes urgent action to improve the situation in Gaza and commit to peace.<h2>UK sets conditions for recognition</h2>Speaking after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Starmer said, “I have always said that we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution.”Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-hamas-must-relinquish-control-palestinian-pm-calls-on-hamas-to-surrender-disarm-as-france-two-state-solution-for-israel-palestine-at-un-1753736040288">'Hamas must relinquish control': Palestinian PM calls on Hamas to surrender, disarm as France two-state solution for Israel, Palestine at UN</a>He added, “I can confirm the UK will recognise the State of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.”The UK has been under growing pressure to take a firmer stance on the Gaza conflict, with Starmer facing criticism from within his own Labour party over the government’s approach to Israel.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-a-slap-in-the-face-us-slams-france-s-ill-timed-push-for-palestinian-state-stays-silent-on-saudi-role-1753732747512">‘A slap in the face’: US slams France’s ‘ill-timed’ push for Palestinian state, stays silent on Saudi role</a><h2>Gaza crisis draws sharp words</h2>Starmer called the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “appalling” and said the British public are “revolted” by the images coming out of the region. His remarks came during a visit to Scotland, where he spoke alongside US President Donald Trump.Starmer’s comments follow a recent announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said France would also recognise a Palestinian state in September, making it the first G7 country to do so. That move has added pressure on the UK to follow suit.<h2>How many countries already recognise Palestine?</h2>Roughly 140 countries already recognise a Palestinian state. However, many Western nations, including the United States and several European countries, have held off, arguing that recognition should be part of a broader peace agreement. Last year, Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognised a Palestinian state in a bid to push Israel towards a ceasefire. Now, the UK appears ready to follow the same path unless Israel changes course in the coming weeks.<h2>What would recognition mean?</h2>At the United Nations, Palestine currently has limited participation rights. It is also recognised by bodies like the Arab League and other international organisations. Some critics argue that recognising Palestine at this stage would be largely symbolic, as issues around its borders, leadership and statehood remain unresolved. Still, supporters of recognition say it could add diplomatic pressure on Israel and revive stalled peace talks, especially after months of devastating violence&nbsp;in&nbsp;Gaza.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK may recognise a Palestinian state at the UN in September unless Israel takes urgent steps toward peace, including a ceasefire and Gaza improvements.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the UK is prepared to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless Israel takes urgent action to improve the situation in Gaza and commit to peace. UK sets conditions for recognition Speaking after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Starmer said, “I have always said that we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution.” Also read: 'Hamas must relinquish control': Palestinian PM calls on Hamas to surrender, disarm as France two-state solution for Israel, Palestine at UN He added, “I can confirm the UK will recognise the State of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.” The UK has been under growing pressure to take a firmer stance on the Gaza conflict, with Starmer facing criticism from within his own Labour party over the government’s approach to Israel. Also read: ‘A slap in the face’: US slams France’s ‘ill-timed’ push for Palestinian state, stays silent on Saudi role Gaza crisis draws sharp words Starmer called the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “appalling” and said the British public are “revolted” by the images coming out of the region. His remarks came during a visit to Scotland, where he spoke alongside US President Donald Trump. Starmer’s comments follow a recent announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said France would also recognise a Palestinian state in September, making it the first G7 country to do so. That move has added pressure on the UK to follow suit. How many countries already recognise Palestine? Roughly 140 countries already recognise a Palestinian state. However, many Western nations, including the United States and several European countries, have held off, arguing that recognition should be part of a broader peace agreement. Last year, Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognised a Palestinian state in a bid to push Israel towards a ceasefire. Now, the UK appears ready to follow the same path unless Israel changes course in the coming weeks. What would recognition mean? At the United Nations, Palestine currently has limited participation rights. It is also recognised by bodies like the Arab League and other international organisations. Some critics argue that recognising Palestine at this stage would be largely symbolic, as issues around its borders, leadership and statehood remain unresolved. Still, supporters of recognition say it could add diplomatic pressure on Israel and revive stalled peace talks, especially after months of devastating violence in Gaza.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK may recognise a Palestinian state at the UN in September unless Israel takes urgent steps toward peace, including a ceasefire and Gaza improvements.

'We will recognise a Palestinian state': After France, UK to recognise Palestinian state; Starmer sets deadline for Israel

In a recent transatlantic bout, London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, has responded to US President Donald Trump's latest remark of ‘nasty person'. Mayor Sadiq Khan dealt the latest jab by welcoming US President Trump to London. His office responded that Mr Trump would find a vibrant, diverse London among the strong headwinds of right-wing populism.While addressing a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump was asked if he would visit the British Capital, London. In response, Trump said, ”I’m not a fan of your mayor. I think he’s done a terrible job... the Mayor of London... a nasty person,” Karmer sitting beside interrupted Trump, “He is my friend”. Trump immediately added, “But I would certainly visit London.”The mayor Khan's spokesperson responded more quietly, targeting the anti-immigrant values of Trump, "Sadiq is delighted that President Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world. He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger, not weaker; richer, not poorer. Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his Presidency”This is not the first time Trump has attacked Mayor Sadiq Khan. During his first term, Trump has called Khan a “stone-cold loser” and “very dumb”, citing crime and terrorism in London. Khan also did not withhold his feelings; he called Trump the “poster boy for racists”. The two share differing opinions on immigration, identity and political values.While Trump's comments were blunt, the UK Prime Minister maintained a more measured approach, claiming that he has a very strong working relationship with both the US administration and the local leadership in London. But Trump's comments have put Khan above the fray. Those familiar with the city hall politics say that these remarks just solidify his position. Amid the staunch rise of right-wing populism, he is seen as a bulwark of liberal values.

In a fresh flare-up of a long-engaging bout between US President Donald Trump's ‘nasty person’ remark to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, his office responds, highlighting London's diversity and resilience while subtly criticising Trump's leadership and why US citizens are applying for UK citizenship

In a recent transatlantic bout, London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, has responded to US President Donald Trump's latest remark of ‘nasty person'. Mayor Sadiq Khan dealt the latest jab by welcoming US President Trump to London. His office responded that Mr Trump would find a vibrant, diverse London among the strong headwinds of right-wing populism. While addressing a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump was asked if he would visit the British Capital, London. In response, Trump said, ”I’m not a fan of your mayor. I think he’s done a terrible job... the Mayor of London... a nasty person,” Karmer sitting beside interrupted Trump, “He is my friend”. Trump immediately added, “But I would certainly visit London.” The mayor Khan's spokesperson responded more quietly, targeting the anti-immigrant values of Trump, "Sadiq is delighted that President Trump wants to come to the greatest city in the world. He’d see how our diversity makes us stronger, not weaker; richer, not poorer. Perhaps these are the reasons why a record number of Americans have applied for British citizenship under his Presidency” This is not the first time Trump has attacked Mayor Sadiq Khan. During his first term, Trump has called Khan a “stone-cold loser” and “very dumb”, citing crime and terrorism in London. Khan also did not withhold his feelings; he called Trump the “poster boy for racists”. The two share differing opinions on immigration, identity and political values. While Trump's comments were blunt, the UK Prime Minister maintained a more measured approach, claiming that he has a very strong working relationship with both the US administration and the local leadership in London. But Trump's comments have put Khan above the fray. Those familiar with the city hall politics say that these remarks just solidify his position. Amid the staunch rise of right-wing populism, he is seen as a bulwark of liberal values.

In a fresh flare-up of a long-engaging bout between US President Donald Trump's ‘nasty person’ remark to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, his office responds, highlighting London's diversity and resilience while subtly criticising Trump's leadership and why US citizens are applying for UK citizenship

Trump calls Sadiq Khan a 'Nasty Person' — London Mayor fires back with grace

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, on Thursday shared a light moment during a joint press conference in which they announced the India-UK free trade deal. As a translator appeared to struggle with translating a few words from English to Hindi, PM Modi, who mostly delivers his speeches in Hindi, interjected, saying she was allowed to pepper a few words of English into her translations. The&nbsp;video of the incident is viral on social&nbsp;media.&nbsp;The video shows the translator struggling a bit while translating the UK PM's speech from English to Hindi. PM Modi clams her down, saying, "Don’t bother, we can use English words in between. Don't worry about it." As the nervous translator apologises to PM Modi again, he reassures her again, saying, "Don't worry".&nbsp;Keir Starmer, who appeared amused by the exchange, seconded PM Modi. "I think we understand each other well," he said.&nbsp;PM Modi is touring the UK for an official visit. Earlier today, India and the United Kingdom announced the India-UK free trade agreement. Announcing the deal, PM Modi said that the two nations had signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement after the hard work of several years. He said it was a historic day in India-UK relations, adding that the deal will ensure greater market access to several Indian exports.&nbsp;"This agreement is not just an economic agreement but also the plan for a shared prosperity. On one side, Indian textiles, footwear, gems and jewellery, seafood, and engineering goods will get better market access in the UK. New opportunities will emerge in the UK market for India's agricultural produce and processed food industry. This agreement will especially benefit Indian youth, farmers, fishermen, and the MSME sector," he further said at a joint press conference with his UK counterpart, Keir Starmer.&nbsp;PM Modi said that the deal will ensure better access to UK-based products for Indian people and industries.&nbsp;UK PM Keir Starmer said the agreement will be beneficial for both nations and will boost wages and raise the standards of living.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | &quot;Don&#39;t bother, we can use English words in between. Don&#39;t worry about it,&quot; says PM Narendra Modi candidly as translations for questions and answers were made at their press statement and the journalists&#39; questions that followed. &quot;I think we understand each other well,&quot;… <a href="https://t.co/VUe2wqQllG">pic.twitter.com/VUe2wqQllG</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1948347051995283663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;PM Modi said that the deal will ensure better access to UK-based products for Indian people and industries.&nbsp;UK PM Keir Starmer said the agreement will be beneficial for both nations and will boost wages and raise the standards of living.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, on Thursday shared a light moment during a joint press conference in which they announced the India-UK free trade deal. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, on Thursday shared a light moment during a joint press conference in which they announced the India-UK free trade deal. As a translator appeared to struggle with translating a few words from English to Hindi, PM Modi, who mostly delivers his speeches in Hindi, interjected, saying she was allowed to pepper a few words of English into her translations. The video of the incident is viral on social media. The video shows the translator struggling a bit while translating the UK PM's speech from English to Hindi. PM Modi clams her down, saying, "Don’t bother, we can use English words in between. Don't worry about it." As the nervous translator apologises to PM Modi again, he reassures her again, saying, "Don't worry". Keir Starmer, who appeared amused by the exchange, seconded PM Modi. "I think we understand each other well," he said. PM Modi is touring the UK for an official visit. Earlier today, India and the United Kingdom announced the India-UK free trade agreement. Announcing the deal, PM Modi said that the two nations had signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement after the hard work of several years. He said it was a historic day in India-UK relations, adding that the deal will ensure greater market access to several Indian exports. "This agreement is not just an economic agreement but also the plan for a shared prosperity. On one side, Indian textiles, footwear, gems and jewellery, seafood, and engineering goods will get better market access in the UK. New opportunities will emerge in the UK market for India's agricultural produce and processed food industry. This agreement will especially benefit Indian youth, farmers, fishermen, and the MSME sector," he further said at a joint press conference with his UK counterpart, Keir Starmer. PM Modi said that the deal will ensure better access to UK-based products for Indian people and industries. UK PM Keir Starmer said the agreement will be beneficial for both nations and will boost wages and raise the standards of living.

India-UK trade deal: The translator was translating the UK PM's speech from English to Hindi.&nbsp;

How PM Modi calmed down a struggling translator: 'Can use English...' | Watch

India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, arrived in London on Thursday (July 24) for a two-day official visit to finalise a historic free trade agreement with the United Kingdom. The pact is seen as a major political and economic win for both nations at a time of growing global trade tensions.<h2>Why does this deal matter for both sides?</h2>This is the UK’s most important trade agreement since Brexit, and India’s first major free trade deal outside Asia. For Britain, it offers a chance to boost post-Brexit trade. For India, it promises to support exports and investment. Modi’s fourth visit to the UK as prime minister includes talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on defence, technology, trade and security. He will also meet King Charles during his stay.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-yet-another-retaliatory-step-is-harvard-risking-its-right-to-host-foreign-students-us-state-department-opens-fresh-investigation-1753294859597">'Yet another retaliatory step': Is Harvard risking its right to host foreign students? US State Department opens fresh investigation</a><h2>Key wins for India during negotiations</h2>India stood firm during talks and secured several key demands. These include concessions on work visas, recognition of professional qualifications, and exemptions from national insurance contributions for temporary Indian workers in the UK. Indian exports, covering goods such as gems, textiles, leather, garments, engineering products, and processed foods, will see 99% of tariffs scrapped under the deal.In exchange, the UK will benefit from phased tariff reductions on 90% of its exports to India. Scotch whisky tariffs will be cut from 150% to 75% immediately and down to 40% over ten years. British-made cars, which currently face tariffs over 100%, will see duties drop to 10% within a quota. Other sectors to gain include medical devices, pharmaceuticals, electronics and aircraft components.<h2>What does this mean for Indian industries?</h2>The Indian government hopes the deal will revive its ‘Make in India’ initiative and attract foreign investment, which has slowed recently. However, India kept its large agricultural sector off the table, a red line for New Delhi that has also blocked similar talks with the United States.Some parts of the deal may face backlash. Indian whisky producers have already expressed concern over what they call “unfair competition” from British imports. In a major shift, UK firms will now be allowed to compete in India’s large government procurement market, which could open doors in clean energy, transport and infrastructure.But not everything made it into the final agreement. The UK’s proposed carbon border tax, known as the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), was left out. India sees it as unfairly targeting developing economies like itself.Only the broad framework of the deal is public for now, but it marks a clear move away from India’s traditionally cautious and protectionist trade approach.

PM Modi’s fourth visit to the UK as prime minister includes talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on defence, technology, trade and security. He will also meet King Charles during his stay.

India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, arrived in London on Thursday (July 24) for a two-day official visit to finalise a historic free trade agreement with the United Kingdom. The pact is seen as a major political and economic win for both nations at a time of growing global trade tensions. Why does this deal matter for both sides? This is the UK’s most important trade agreement since Brexit, and India’s first major free trade deal outside Asia. For Britain, it offers a chance to boost post-Brexit trade. For India, it promises to support exports and investment. Modi’s fourth visit to the UK as prime minister includes talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on defence, technology, trade and security. He will also meet King Charles during his stay. Also read: 'Yet another retaliatory step': Is Harvard risking its right to host foreign students? US State Department opens fresh investigation Key wins for India during negotiations India stood firm during talks and secured several key demands. These include concessions on work visas, recognition of professional qualifications, and exemptions from national insurance contributions for temporary Indian workers in the UK. Indian exports, covering goods such as gems, textiles, leather, garments, engineering products, and processed foods, will see 99% of tariffs scrapped under the deal. In exchange, the UK will benefit from phased tariff reductions on 90% of its exports to India. Scotch whisky tariffs will be cut from 150% to 75% immediately and down to 40% over ten years. British-made cars, which currently face tariffs over 100%, will see duties drop to 10% within a quota. Other sectors to gain include medical devices, pharmaceuticals, electronics and aircraft components. What does this mean for Indian industries? The Indian government hopes the deal will revive its ‘Make in India’ initiative and attract foreign investment, which has slowed recently. However, India kept its large agricultural sector off the table, a red line for New Delhi that has also blocked similar talks with the United States. Some parts of the deal may face backlash. Indian whisky producers have already expressed concern over what they call “unfair competition” from British imports. In a major shift, UK firms will now be allowed to compete in India’s large government procurement market, which could open doors in clean energy, transport and infrastructure. But not everything made it into the final agreement. The UK’s proposed carbon border tax, known as the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), was left out. India sees it as unfairly targeting developing economies like itself. Only the broad framework of the deal is public for now, but it marks a clear move away from India’s traditionally cautious and protectionist trade approach.

PM Modi’s fourth visit to the UK as prime minister includes talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on defence, technology, trade and security. He will also meet King Charles during his stay.

PM Modi lands in UK to seal historic post-Brexit trade deal with Keir Starmer - What does it mean for both countries?

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday said that he has found a common ground with US President Donald Trump despite sharing "different political backgrounds". Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Starmer spoke about his "good relationship" with Trump and their shared values.Speaking on the first anniversary of the &nbsp;Labour government coming to power, Starmer said it was "in the national interest" for the two men to connect.“We are different people and we’ve got different political backgrounds and leanings, but we do have a good relationship and that comes from a number of places,” the UK PM said.<h2>What anchors Trump?</h2>Starmer said that he knows what anchors President Trump, adding that he cares a lot about his family.&nbsp; “I think I do understand what anchors the president, what he really cares about. For both of us, we really care about family and there’s a point of connection there," he said.He highlighted that the first time the two spoke was after Trump was shot at during a campaign rally in July last year. A few days later, Trump also returned a call after Starmer's broker Nick died on Boxing Day.<h2>The connection they share</h2>Starmer revealed that he and Trump bond over their love for their families, saying that after the US president was shot at, he wanted to know how it impacted his family.“In particular, I wanted to know how it had impacted his family so that was the beginning of our relationship,” Starmer said, adding that he thinks Trump was surprised at the call.Starmer stressed that this strong personal bond helped the UK secure the first trade deal with the US after Trump unveiled tariffs on foreign exports."That is a good thing for millions of people across the country," he said.Addressing recent political turmoil, Starmer said he would always “carry the can” as leader after coming under fire over a climbdown on welfare reforms and that he would “always take responsibility” when asked questions.“When things go well … the leader gets the plaudits, but when things don’t go well, it is really important that the leader carries the can – and that’s what I will always do," he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Speaking on the first anniversary of the  Labour government coming to power, Starmer said it was "in the national interest" for the two men to connect.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday said that he has found a common ground with US President Donald Trump despite sharing "different political backgrounds". Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Starmer spoke about his "good relationship" with Trump and their shared values. Speaking on the first anniversary of the Labour government coming to power, Starmer said it was "in the national interest" for the two men to connect. “We are different people and we’ve got different political backgrounds and leanings, but we do have a good relationship and that comes from a number of places,” the UK PM said. What anchors Trump? Starmer said that he knows what anchors President Trump, adding that he cares a lot about his family. “I think I do understand what anchors the president, what he really cares about. For both of us, we really care about family and there’s a point of connection there," he said. He highlighted that the first time the two spoke was after Trump was shot at during a campaign rally in July last year. A few days later, Trump also returned a call after Starmer's broker Nick died on Boxing Day. The connection they share Starmer revealed that he and Trump bond over their love for their families, saying that after the US president was shot at, he wanted to know how it impacted his family. “In particular, I wanted to know how it had impacted his family so that was the beginning of our relationship,” Starmer said, adding that he thinks Trump was surprised at the call. Starmer stressed that this strong personal bond helped the UK secure the first trade deal with the US after Trump unveiled tariffs on foreign exports. "That is a good thing for millions of people across the country," he said. Addressing recent political turmoil, Starmer said he would always “carry the can” as leader after coming under fire over a climbdown on welfare reforms and that he would “always take responsibility” when asked questions. “When things go well … the leader gets the plaudits, but when things don’t go well, it is really important that the leader carries the can – and that’s what I will always do," he added.

Speaking on the first anniversary of the &nbsp;Labour government coming to power, Starmer said it was "in the national interest" for the two men to connect.

What led to US-UK deal? Here's what Starmer reveals about his relationship with Trump

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned UK punk duo Bob Vylan for “appalling hate speech” and urging “death” to Israeli troops at the Glastonbury Festival. Rapper Vylan had triggered a major controversy at his Glastonbury Festival performance when he led the crowd to chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF.” Glastonbury Festival organisers said they were “appalled” by the incident that prompted a backlash from government officials and the Israeli embassy, while police launched an official investigation into possible hate speech or incitement. In a statement, Starmer said the BBC had questions to answer over its live broadcast of the group’s performance on Saturday.A BBC spokesperson previously said some of the comments were “deeply offensive”, adding it had issued a warning on screen about “very strong and discriminatory language”.&nbsp;&nbsp;Starmer also criticised the Irish-language rap group Kneecap, who previously described Israel’s military action in Gaza as a genocide.He said, “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech. I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Culture Secretary seeks urgent explanation from BBC on its vetting process</h2>&nbsp;A government spokesperson said Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy had pressed BBC boss Tim Davie for an urgent explanation of the broadcaster's vetting process.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Embassy of Israel in the United Kingdom is deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival. Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic…&mdash; Israel in the UK 🇮🇱🤝🇬🇧 (@IsraelinUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraelinUK/status/1939019339161563147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Bob Vylan's comments were “revolting” and added that the “irony of that music festival is that Israelis were taken from a music festival, killed, raped and in some cases are still being held captive”.&nbsp;Glastonbury Festival against all forms of war and terrorism, says organiser&nbsp;A joint Instagram post from Glastonbury Festival and organiser Emily Eavis on Sunday said the event stood “against all forms of war and terrorism”, and that with almost 4,000 performances on site “there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share”.“However, we are appalled by the statements made by Bob Vylan. Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.”&nbsp;<h2>‘Deeply disturbed by inflammatory and hateful rhetoric’</h2>&nbsp;The Embassy of Israel in the UK issued a statement noting that it is deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric. “Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out—especially when amplified by public figures on prominent platforms,” it said. Chants such as “Death to the IDF,” and “From the river to the sea” are slogans that advocate for the dismantling of the State of Israel and implicitly call for the elimination of Jewish self-determination. When such messages are delivered before tens of thousands of festivalgoers and met with applause, it raises serious concerns about the normalisation of extremist language and the glorification of violence,” the statement added.

PM Starmer said the BBC had questions to answer over its live broadcast of the group’s performance. A BBC spokesperson previously said some of the comments were “deeply offensive”, adding it had issued a warning on screen about “very strong and discriminatory language”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned UK punk duo Bob Vylan for “appalling hate speech” and urging “death” to Israeli troops at the Glastonbury Festival. Rapper Vylan had triggered a major controversy at his Glastonbury Festival performance when he led the crowd to chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF.” Glastonbury Festival organisers said they were “appalled” by the incident that prompted a backlash from government officials and the Israeli embassy, while police launched an official investigation into possible hate speech or incitement. In a statement, Starmer said the BBC had questions to answer over its live broadcast of the group’s performance on Saturday. A BBC spokesperson previously said some of the comments were “deeply offensive”, adding it had issued a warning on screen about “very strong and discriminatory language”. Starmer also criticised the Irish-language rap group Kneecap, who previously described Israel’s military action in Gaza as a genocide. He said, “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech. I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence.” Culture Secretary seeks urgent explanation from BBC on its vetting process A government spokesperson said Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy had pressed BBC boss Tim Davie for an urgent explanation of the broadcaster's vetting process.

PM Starmer said the BBC had questions to answer over its live broadcast of the group’s performance. A BBC spokesperson previously said some of the comments were “deeply offensive”, adding it had issued a warning on screen about “very strong and discriminatory language”.

Starmer condemns ‘appalling’ Bob Vylan chants against IDF at Glastonbury Festival

In the wake of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, US President Donald Trump held a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, White House said. This comes after Israel struck Iran's military leadership and nuclear facilities and Tehran retaliated.&nbsp;Trump also held a phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran on Friday. The two leaders agreed on “the importance of diplomacy and dialogue,” Starmer's office said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The Prime Minister reiterated the UK's grave concerns about Iran's nuclear programmes,” a spokeswoman said, adding that “the leaders looked forward to speaking again at the G7 in Canada next week.”&nbsp;The US president also held a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the recent developments in the Middle East, including ongoing military escalation in Iran and Israel, the Saudi Press Agency reported.&nbsp;The two leaders stressed the importance of restraint and de-escalation, along with using diplomatic means to resolve disputes. They also affirmed the importance of joint efforts to promote security, stability, and peace in the region.&nbsp;Trump also talked to Qatari Emir Tamim on de-escalating the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict during a phone call on Friday, according to a Qatari readout.&nbsp;Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Iran crossed “red lines” by targeting civilian areas in a missile attack on Friday (Jun 13).&nbsp;&nbsp;“Iran has crossed red lines by daring to fire missiles at civilian population centres in Israel,” Katz said in a statement. “We will continue to defend the citizens of Israel and ensure that the Ayatollah regime pays a very heavy price for its heinous actions.”&nbsp;Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has “rejected calls for Iran to show restraint in the face of Israeli aggression”, the ministry said in a statement.

Trump also held a phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran on Friday.

In the wake of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, US President Donald Trump held a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, White House said. This comes after Israel struck Iran's military leadership and nuclear facilities and Tehran retaliated. Trump also held a phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran on Friday. The two leaders agreed on “the importance of diplomacy and dialogue,” Starmer's office said. “The Prime Minister reiterated the UK's grave concerns about Iran's nuclear programmes,” a spokeswoman said, adding that “the leaders looked forward to speaking again at the G7 in Canada next week.” The US president also held a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the recent developments in the Middle East, including ongoing military escalation in Iran and Israel, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The two leaders stressed the importance of restraint and de-escalation, along with using diplomatic means to resolve disputes. They also affirmed the importance of joint efforts to promote security, stability, and peace in the region. Trump also talked to Qatari Emir Tamim on de-escalating the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict during a phone call on Friday, according to a Qatari readout. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Iran crossed “red lines” by targeting civilian areas in a missile attack on Friday (Jun 13). “Iran has crossed red lines by daring to fire missiles at civilian population centres in Israel,” Katz said in a statement. “We will continue to defend the citizens of Israel and ensure that the Ayatollah regime pays a very heavy price for its heinous actions.” Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has “rejected calls for Iran to show restraint in the face of Israeli aggression”, the ministry said in a statement.

Trump also held a phone call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran on Friday.

Israel-Iran conflict: Trump calls for diplomacy amid escalating tensions, speaks to Netanyahu, world leaders

The High Court in London said it would examine on Thursday the UK government's deal to return the remote Chagos Islands to Mauritius after imposing a last-minute block on the accord.&nbsp;"There was an urgent hearing overnight, and an injunction has been granted until 10:30 am (0930 GMT) today when there will be a further hearing", a court official told AFP.UK media reports had said Prime Minister Keir Starmer was due to attend a virtual ceremony with Mauritian representatives early Thursday to sign the deal. The agreement would see Britain hand back the archipelago to Mauritius and pay to lease a key US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island.In the injunction, granted at 2:25 am (0125 GMT), Judge Julian Goose said the government should "take no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government".The government was required to "maintain the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom over the British Indian Ocean Territory until further order", the ruling added. The request for an injunction was brought by two Chagossian women, the BBC reported. The base is leased to the United States and has become one of its key military facilities in the Asia-Pacific, including being used as a hub for long-range bombers and ships during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.But Starmer has said that international legal rulings have put Britain's ownership of the Chagos in doubt and only a deal with Mauritius can guarantee that the base remains functional. Reacting to the ruling, a UK government spokesperson said it did not comment on "ongoing legal cases"."The deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security," the spokesperson told AFP.Britain kept control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s.But it evicted thousands of Chagos islanders who have since mounted a series of legal claims for compensation in British courts. In 2019, the International Court of Justice recommended that Britain hand the archipelago to Mauritius after decades of legal battles.The deal would give Britain a 99-year lease of the base, with the option to extend. The UK government has not said how much the lease will cost, but has not denied reports that it would be £90 million ($111 million) a year. Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has said his country would pursue its fight for full sovereignty over the islands if Washington refused to support the return.

A UK court has temporarily blocked the government's deal to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, pending further hearings, just hours before a planned signing ceremony with Prime Minister Keir Starmer

The High Court in London said it would examine on Thursday the UK government's deal to return the remote Chagos Islands to Mauritius after imposing a last-minute block on the accord. "There was an urgent hearing overnight, and an injunction has been granted until 10:30 am (0930 GMT) today when there will be a further hearing", a court official told AFP. UK media reports had said Prime Minister Keir Starmer was due to attend a virtual ceremony with Mauritian representatives early Thursday to sign the deal. The agreement would see Britain hand back the archipelago to Mauritius and pay to lease a key US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island. In the injunction, granted at 2:25 am (0125 GMT), Judge Julian Goose said the government should "take no conclusive or legally binding step to conclude its negotiations concerning the possible transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, to a foreign government". The government was required to "maintain the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom over the British Indian Ocean Territory until further order", the ruling added. The request for an injunction was brought by two Chagossian women, the BBC reported. The base is leased to the United States and has become one of its key military facilities in the Asia-Pacific, including being used as a hub for long-range bombers and ships during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. But Starmer has said that international legal rulings have put Britain's ownership of the Chagos in doubt and only a deal with Mauritius can guarantee that the base remains functional. Reacting to the ruling, a UK government spokesperson said it did not comment on "ongoing legal cases". "The deal is the right thing to protect the British people and our national security," the spokesperson told AFP. Britain kept control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s. But it evicted thousands of Chagos islanders who have since mounted a series of legal claims for compensation in British courts. In 2019, the International Court of Justice recommended that Britain hand the archipelago to Mauritius after decades of legal battles. The deal would give Britain a 99-year lease of the base, with the option to extend. The UK government has not said how much the lease will cost, but has not denied reports that it would be £90 million ($111 million) a year. Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has said his country would pursue its fight for full sovereignty over the islands if Washington refused to support the return.

The High Court in London has temporarily halted the UK government’s plan to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, issuing an injunction just hours before a scheduled signing ceremony.

UK Court halts Chagos Islands handover to Mauritius hours before planned deal signing

UK police have arrested a man in connection with suspected arson attacks targeting two properties linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, as well as a vehicle. The fires damaged former family homes associated with Starmer, raising serious security and political concerns.

UK: Man arrested over arson at homes linked to Keir Starmer

London: British police are investigating an overnight fire at a house belonging to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in north London in which nobody was hurt. "The Prime Minister thanks the emergency services for their work. The incident is subject to a live investigation, and we will therefore not be commenting further," a spokesperson for Starmer's Downing Street office said. Local media reported London police investigating terror angle.

UK PM Keir Starmer's London home breaks out in fire; police investigate possible terror angle

French President Emmanuel Macron was seen picking up a white-coloured item from the table in a video shot inside a train from Poland to Kyiv. He was accompanied by Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Rumours started circulating that Macron hid a packet of cocaine.&nbsp;
Some Kremlin officials further fuelled them, openly alleging that the leaders were intoxicated. The &Eacute;lys&eacute;e Palace has slammed the claims as "disinformation", saying that it was only a piece of tissue paper.
Marcon, Merz, and Starmer were visiting Ukraine to show their support for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. The cocaine claims first popped up on pro-Russian social media channels. Later, a Kremlin spokesperson and another official also talked about it.
&ldquo;This fake news is being spread by France&rsquo;s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation,&rdquo; the &Eacute;lys&eacute;e posted on X.
The video shows the three leaders around a table as the cameras start rolling. Macron then picks up a white object from the table and later puts it in his pocket.&nbsp;
&ldquo;This is a tissue. For blowing your nose,&rdquo; the &Eacute;lys&eacute;e posted alongside an image from the meeting. &ldquo;This is European unity. To build peace."
&ldquo;When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs.&rdquo;
<h2>Video of Macron allegedly picking up "cocaine"</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-malvbkke-f8ui9aui-txxk36by">
🚨 BREAKING! Macron, Starmer, and Merz caught red handed with a bag of coke on the table as Macron tries to hide it! Thoughts? <a href="https://t.co/lZ9CfTpV0D">pic.twitter.com/lZ9CfTpV0D</a>
&mdash; Liberal Tear Creator&trade; (@LibTearCreator1) <a href="https://twitter.com/LibTearCreator1/status/1921559791542956437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
The cocaine story received a further boost from user claims that Merz was holding a white cocaine spoon. In the video, he can be seen holding the alleged object fully in his hand.&nbsp;
<h2>Russian spokesperson claims the European leaders did cocaine</h2>
Among those who promoted the cocaine claim was the Kremlin&rsquo;s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, who posted about it on her Telegram channel.
&ldquo;After pushing Zelensky into yet another hellish scheme to derail a settlement and prolong the bloodshed in Europe, it&rsquo;s like a joke: a Frenchman, an Englishman, and a German got on a train &ndash; and did a line,&rdquo; Zakharova wrote on Sunday.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-will-be-waiting-for-putin-ukraines-zelensky-ready-for-talks-but-only-if-russia-agrees-to-a-ceasefire-9058550" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ukraine's Zelensky ready for talks, but only if Russia agrees to a ceasefire</a>
&ldquo;Apparently, they were so out of it they forgot to hide the paraphernalia &ndash; a small bag and a spoon &ndash; before the journalists arrived. Europe&rsquo;s fate is in the hands of placeholders who are dependent, in every sense of the word.&rdquo;
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/1205_WION_TALK_9PM/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/1205_WION_TALK_9PM.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=183&amp;tags=Russia, Ukraine, World News, WION" title="Russia opens door for Ukraine peace talks amidst EU pressure" id="PL_iframe_block-malvebuz-8lb45wl9-q3j6tys9"></iframe>
Kirill Dmitriev, another Russian official, wrote under the video on X, &ldquo;Is this footage AI or real? If it&rsquo;s real &ndash; are we looking at sugar or something entirely different? If it&rsquo;s something else, it explains a lot of recent ideas and proposals."
According to the western media, Russia is trying to sour relations between the US, Europe and Ukraine over pressure for a ceasefire.
Zakharova and other Russian officials had earlier claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was an &ldquo;unstable cocaine addict&rdquo;. They have often claimed that European leaders use cocaine.&nbsp;

Did Macron hide a packet of cocaine? A video on social media shows the French president picking up something from the table that people think is cocaine. World Trending

French President Emmanuel Macron was seen picking up a white-coloured item from the table in a video shot inside a train from Poland to Kyiv. He was accompanied by Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Rumours started circulating that Macron hid a packet of cocaine. Some Kremlin officials further fuelled them, openly alleging that the leaders were intoxicated. The Élysée Palace has slammed the claims as "disinformation", saying that it was only a piece of tissue paper. Marcon, Merz, and Starmer were visiting Ukraine to show their support for Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. The cocaine claims first popped up on pro-Russian social media channels. Later, a Kremlin spokesperson and another official also talked about it. “This fake news is being spread by France’s enemies, both abroad and at home. We must remain vigilant against manipulation,” the Élysée posted on X. The video shows the three leaders around a table as the cameras start rolling. Macron then picks up a white object from the table and later puts it in his pocket. “This is a tissue. For blowing your nose,” the Élysée posted alongside an image from the meeting. “This is European unity. To build peace." “When European unity becomes inconvenient, disinformation goes so far as to make a simple tissue look like drugs.” Video of Macron allegedly picking up "cocaine" 🚨 BREAKING! Macron, Starmer, and Merz caught red handed with a bag of coke on the table as Macron tries to hide it! Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/lZ9CfTpV0D — Liberal Tear Creator™ (@LibTearCreator1) May 11, 2025 The cocaine story received a further boost from user claims that Merz was holding a white cocaine spoon. In the video, he can be seen holding the alleged object fully in his hand. Russian spokesperson claims the European leaders did cocaine Among those who promoted the cocaine claim was the Kremlin’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, who posted about it on her Telegram channel. “After pushing Zelensky into yet another hellish scheme to derail a settlement and prolong the bloodshed in Europe, it’s like a joke: a Frenchman, an Englishman, and a German got on a train – and did a line,” Zakharova wrote on Sunday. Also Read: Ukraine's Zelensky ready for talks, but only if Russia agrees to a ceasefire “Apparently, they were so out of it they forgot to hide the paraphernalia – a small bag and a spoon – before the journalists arrived. Europe’s fate is in the hands of placeholders who are dependent, in every sense of the word.” Kirill Dmitriev, another Russian official, wrote under the video on X, “Is this footage AI or real? If it’s real – are we looking at sugar or something entirely different? If it’s something else, it explains a lot of recent ideas and proposals." According to the western media, Russia is trying to sour relations between the US, Europe and Ukraine over pressure for a ceasefire. Zakharova and other Russian officials had earlier claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was an “unstable cocaine addict”. They have often claimed that European leaders use cocaine.

'Did a line' and 'forgot to hide': ‘Cocaine’ conspiracy theory accuses Macron, Starmer and Merz of drug use on train to Kyiv

India and the UK successfully concluded a "mutually beneficial" <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/free-trade-agreement">Free Trade Agreement</a>&nbsp;(FTA) on Tuesday (May 6), Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, calling it a "historic milestone".&nbsp;
The Indian PM said that the two nations have successfully concluded mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement, along with a Double Contribution Convention. 
PM Modi in a post on X, announced the successful conclusion of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-are-promoters-of-free-trade-says-german-amb-dr-ackermann-as-he-pushes-for-india-eu-fta-8918751">'We are promoters of free trade' says German Amb Dr Ackermann as he pushes for India, EU FTA</a>
"These landmark agreements will further deepen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and catalyse trade, investment, growth, job creation, and innovation in both our economies," he said in the post.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-macjsj3m-yyk70cqd-88swmkux">
Delighted to speak with my friend PM <a href="https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Keir_Starmer</a>. In a historic milestone, India and the UK have successfully concluded an ambitious and mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement, along with a Double Contribution Convention. These landmark agreements will further deepen our&hellip;
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1919736905115054505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
Moreover, PM Modi also invited UK PM Keir Starmer to India soon.
The two leaders welcomed the successful conclusion of the trade agreement with the Double Contribution Convention.
UK PM Keir Starmer also shared the news on his social media X platform, calling it a "historic moment".&nbsp;
"Today Britain has agreed a landmark trade deal with India. Fantastic news for British business, British workers, and British shoppers, delivering on our Plan for Change. Good to speak to Prime Minister @NarendraModi as we mark this historic moment," he said in a post on X.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-mackgbzv-xsy1gnef-s5xy0vp2">
Today Britain has agreed a landmark trade deal with India. Fantastic news for British business, British workers, and British shoppers, delivering on our Plan for Change. Good to speak to Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NarendraModi</a> as we mark this historic moment. <a href="https://t.co/mr0wfatBcH">pic.twitter.com/mr0wfatBcH</a>
&mdash; Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1919745993123193036?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
The completion of the FTA will foster trade, investment, innovation and job creation in both economies.&nbsp;
WATCH |&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-uk-eye-fta-to-boost-bilateral-trade-8751275">India-UK eye FTA to boost bilateral trade</a>
"Both agreed that the landmark agreements between the two big and open market economies of the world will open new opportunities for businesses, strengthen economic linkages, and deepen people-to-people ties," a press release from the Indian prime minister's office read.&nbsp;
Moreover, PM Modi said that strengthening alliances and reducing trade barriers with economies around the world is part of their plan for change to deliver a stronger and more secure economy.&nbsp;
The two leaders also agreed that expanding ties between India and the UK "remain a cornerstone of the increasingly robust and multifaceted partnership."
The India, UK FTA will also unlock new potential for the two nations to jointly develop products and services for global markets, the statement added.&nbsp;
WATCH |&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-uk-to-resume-free-trade-agreement-talks-from-february-24-8750888">India, UK to resume free trade agreement talks from February 24</a>

PM Modi also said that he is looking forward to welcoming UK PM Keir Starmer to India soon, hinting at his possible visit to India in the near future. India news | world

India and the UK successfully concluded a "mutually beneficial" Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Tuesday (May 6), Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, calling it a "historic milestone". The Indian PM said that the two nations have successfully concluded mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement, along with a Double Contribution Convention. PM Modi in a post on X, announced the successful conclusion of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement. Also read: 'We are promoters of free trade' says German Amb Dr Ackermann as he pushes for India, EU FTA "These landmark agreements will further deepen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and catalyse trade, investment, growth, job creation, and innovation in both our economies," he said in the post. Delighted to speak with my friend PM @Keir_Starmer. In a historic milestone, India and the UK have successfully concluded an ambitious and mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement, along with a Double Contribution Convention. These landmark agreements will further deepen our… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 6, 2025 Moreover, PM Modi also invited UK PM Keir Starmer to India soon. The two leaders welcomed the successful conclusion of the trade agreement with the Double Contribution Convention. UK PM Keir Starmer also shared the news on his social media X platform, calling it a "historic moment". "Today Britain has agreed a landmark trade deal with India. Fantastic news for British business, British workers, and British shoppers, delivering on our Plan for Change. Good to speak to Prime Minister @NarendraModi as we mark this historic moment," he said in a post on X. Today Britain has agreed a landmark trade deal with India. Fantastic news for British business, British workers, and British shoppers, delivering on our Plan for Change. Good to speak to Prime Minister @NarendraModi as we mark this historic moment. pic.twitter.com/mr0wfatBcH — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 6, 2025 The completion of the FTA will foster trade, investment, innovation and job creation in both economies. WATCH | India-UK eye FTA to boost bilateral trade "Both agreed that the landmark agreements between the two big and open market economies of the world will open new opportunities for businesses, strengthen economic linkages, and deepen people-to-people ties," a press release from the Indian prime minister's office read. Moreover, PM Modi said that strengthening alliances and reducing trade barriers with economies around the world is part of their plan for change to deliver a stronger and more secure economy. The two leaders also agreed that expanding ties between India and the UK "remain a cornerstone of the increasingly robust and multifaceted partnership." The India, UK FTA will also unlock new potential for the two nations to jointly develop products and services for global markets, the statement added. WATCH | India, UK to resume free trade agreement talks from February 24

'Historic milestone': India, UK successfully conclude Free Trade Agreement after years of negotiations

Britain&rsquo;s right-wing Reform UK party won a parliamentary seat in a by-election besides a mayoralty and several local council posts on Friday after which the anti-immigrant firebrand leader Nigel Farage claimed that his party was now the &lsquo;real opposition&rsquo;.
The result was a loss of face for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as it was the first since he took office.
Reform UK won the by-election by six votes, signalling rising support and Labour&rsquo;s sharp decline under PM Starmer.
The populist Reform hopes the local elections will mark the breakdown of a century of domination of British politics by the governing Labour Party and opposition Conservatives.
Starmer conceded that the loss of a safe Labour parliamentary seat to Reform was &ldquo;disappointing&rdquo;, but defended taking what he called the &ldquo;tough but right&rdquo; economic decisions. &ldquo;The reason that we took the tough but right decisions in the budget was because we inherited a broken economy,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Maybe other prime ministers would have walked past that, pretended it wasn&rsquo;t there &hellip; I took the choice to make sure our economy was stable.&rdquo;
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-far-right-party-afd-labelled-as-extremist-organisation-by-spy-agency-bfv-9025940">Germany&rsquo;s far-right party AfD labelled as &lsquo;extremist organisation&rsquo; by spy agency BfV, ban threat looms</a>
Starmer added that Labour would go &ldquo;further and faster on the change that people want to see&rdquo; after losing the Runcorn &amp; Helmsby by-election.
Reform made gains against both Labour and the Conservatives across England in local council elections and won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes in a blow to Starmer&rsquo;s premiership. The narrow victory saw Farage&rsquo;s party take a constituency that Labour won with a majority of almost 14,700 at the general election less than 12 months ago.
The by-election was called after the previous MP, Mike Amesbury, resigned following his conviction for punching a constituent.
<h2>&lsquo;We are now the opposition, Tories are a waste of space&rsquo;</h2>
Farage said that Labour&rsquo;s vote collapsed because of a &ldquo;loss of confidence&rdquo; and the fact &ldquo;no one knows what the prime minister really stands for&rdquo;.
He said working people are fed up with higher taxes and illegal immigration.
Farage also declared, &ldquo;We now are the opposition party in the United Kingdom to the Labour Party and the Tories, frankly, are a waste of space.&rdquo;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-iaf-conducts-take-off-and-landing-exercises-of-rafale-jaguar-on-ganga-expressway-9025452" rel="noopener" target="_blank">WATCH | IAF conducts take-off and landing exercises of Rafale, Jaguar on Ganga Expressway</a>
Reform&rsquo;s Dame Andrea Jenkyns was elected as the party&rsquo;s first mayor in Greater Lincolnshire with a majority of almost 40,000. In her victory speech, she said, &ldquo;The fightback to save the heart and soul of our great country has now begun.&rdquo;
Reform UK, born out of the Brexit Party, campaigns for tough action to bring down immigration, arguing that it has got out of control and is damaging the country. It has pledged to freeze all non-essential immigration if it wins at the next general election.
<h2>&lsquo;The renewal of our party has only just begun,&rsquo; says Bedenoch</h2>
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she&rsquo;s determined to win back the trust of people. &ldquo;These were always going to be a very difficult set of elections coming off the high of 2021 and our historic defeat last year - and so it&rsquo;s proving. The renewal of our party has only just begun.&rdquo;
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/national-security-adviser-mike-waltz-using-signal-day-before-he-was-ousted-by-donald-trump-9025760" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caught on camera! Mike Waltz photographed using Signal the day before he was ousted by Trump - Who was he texting?</a>
Tory co-chairman Nigel Huddleston dismissed Reform&rsquo;s success, saying, &ldquo;They are emerging into a populist popular party, not an alternative to the Conservatives, but trying to transcend and promise everything to everybody. That is not a long-term sustainable position.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

World: The populist Reform hopes the local elections will mark the breakdown of a century of domination of British politics by the governing Labour Party and opposition Conservatives.

Britain’s right-wing Reform UK party won a parliamentary seat in a by-election besides a mayoralty and several local council posts on Friday after which the anti-immigrant firebrand leader Nigel Farage claimed that his party was now the ‘real opposition’. The result was a loss of face for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as it was the first since he took office. Reform UK won the by-election by six votes, signalling rising support and Labour’s sharp decline under PM Starmer. The populist Reform hopes the local elections will mark the breakdown of a century of domination of British politics by the governing Labour Party and opposition Conservatives. Starmer conceded that the loss of a safe Labour parliamentary seat to Reform was “disappointing”, but defended taking what he called the “tough but right” economic decisions. “The reason that we took the tough but right decisions in the budget was because we inherited a broken economy,” he said. “Maybe other prime ministers would have walked past that, pretended it wasn’t there … I took the choice to make sure our economy was stable.” Also Read | Germany’s far-right party AfD labelled as ‘extremist organisation’ by spy agency BfV, ban threat looms Starmer added that Labour would go “further and faster on the change that people want to see” after losing the Runcorn & Helmsby by-election. Reform made gains against both Labour and the Conservatives across England in local council elections and won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes in a blow to Starmer’s premiership. The narrow victory saw Farage’s party take a constituency that Labour won with a majority of almost 14,700 at the general election less than 12 months ago. The by-election was called after the previous MP, Mike Amesbury, resigned following his conviction for punching a constituent. ‘We are now the opposition, Tories are a waste of space’ Farage said that Labour’s vote collapsed because of a “loss of confidence” and the fact “no one knows what the prime minister really stands for”. He said working people are fed up with higher taxes and illegal immigration. Farage also declared, “We now are the opposition party in the United Kingdom to the Labour Party and the Tories, frankly, are a waste of space.” WATCH | IAF conducts take-off and landing exercises of Rafale, Jaguar on Ganga Expressway Reform’s Dame Andrea Jenkyns was elected as the party’s first mayor in Greater Lincolnshire with a majority of almost 40,000. In her victory speech, she said, “The fightback to save the heart and soul of our great country has now begun.” Reform UK, born out of the Brexit Party, campaigns for tough action to bring down immigration, arguing that it has got out of control and is damaging the country. It has pledged to freeze all non-essential immigration if it wins at the next general election. ‘The renewal of our party has only just begun,’ says Bedenoch Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she’s determined to win back the trust of people. “These were always going to be a very difficult set of elections coming off the high of 2021 and our historic defeat last year - and so it’s proving. The renewal of our party has only just begun.” Also Read | Caught on camera! Mike Waltz photographed using Signal the day before he was ousted by Trump - Who was he texting? Tory co-chairman Nigel Huddleston dismissed Reform’s success, saying, “They are emerging into a populist popular party, not an alternative to the Conservatives, but trying to transcend and promise everything to everybody. That is not a long-term sustainable position.”

Starmer vows ‘further and faster’ change after by-election loss; Farage claims Reform now ‘real’ opposition

United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to declare an end to the era of 'globalisation' after US President Donald Trump's massive reciprocal tariffs that has triggered a global trade war, according to a report by The Times.&nbsp;
The UK PM will address the nation on Monday, where he is likely to admit that globalisation, which started after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, has "failed" millions of voters and acknowledge why Trump's economic nationalism is popular among his supporters.&nbsp;
The UK does not agree with Trump's 10 per cent "baseline" tariffs and other recent protectionist measures, a senior UK official told the publication.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-ai-donald-trump-us-treasury-secretary-scott-bessent-deepseek-us-stock-market-reciprocal-tariffs-8930105">&lsquo;Blame China&rsquo;s AI, not Trump&rsquo;: US Treasury Secretary claims DeepSeek responsible for tanking stock market,&nbsp;not&nbsp;tariffs</a>
&ldquo;Trump has done something that we don&rsquo;t agree with but there&rsquo;s a reason why people are behind him on this. The world has changed, globalisation is over, and we are now in a new era,&rdquo; the official said.&nbsp;
"We've got to demonstrate that our approach, a more active Labour government, a more reformist government, can provide the answers for people in every part of this country," the official added.
Moreover, Starmer will also announce protective measures for the British economy in the upcoming week amid Trump's ongoing tariff war, Bloomberg reported.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-kingdom-international-development-minister-anneliese-dodds-resignation-uk-pm-keir-starmer-foreign-aid-cut-8766313">'Following Trump's footsteps': UK minister resigns over Keir Starmer's historic foreign aid cut</a>
&ldquo;The world as we knew it has gone. We must rise to meet the moment,&rdquo; said Keir Starmer cited the news agency quoting the Telegraph.
Notably, Monday's address will be Starmer's first significant intervention since Trump imposed retaliatory tariffs on April 2.&nbsp;
During the address, he will acknowledge that the seismic global economic effects prove that the UK must "move further and faster" to boost growth with supply-side reforms.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-might-go-back-on-tariffs-on-vietnam-heres-why-8929795">Trump might go back on tariffs on Vietnam, here's why</a>&nbsp;
Moreover, later this week, the UK government is also planning to make pro-growth announcements, including easing regulations on electric car manufacturers and bringing forward parts of the government's industrial strategy.&nbsp;
Also, the UK will also hold an "economic and financial dialogue" with India on Wednesday to try to break a trade deal.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cant-stomach-trumps-absurd-tariff-math-trumps-treasury-secy-looking-for-exit-door-after-tariffs-ruin-his-credibility-8930074">'Can&rsquo;t stomach Trump&rsquo;s absurd tariff math': US treasury secretary 'looking for exit door' after tariffs ruin his credibility</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: The UK does not agree with Trump's 10 per cent "baseline" tariffs and other recent protectionist measures, a senior UK official told the publication.

United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to declare an end to the era of 'globalisation' after US President Donald Trump's massive reciprocal tariffs that has triggered a global trade war, according to a report by The Times. The UK PM will address the nation on Monday, where he is likely to admit that globalisation, which started after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, has "failed" millions of voters and acknowledge why Trump's economic nationalism is popular among his supporters. The UK does not agree with Trump's 10 per cent "baseline" tariffs and other recent protectionist measures, a senior UK official told the publication. Also read: ‘Blame China’s AI, not Trump’: US Treasury Secretary claims DeepSeek responsible for tanking stock market, not tariffs “Trump has done something that we don’t agree with but there’s a reason why people are behind him on this. The world has changed, globalisation is over, and we are now in a new era,” the official said. "We've got to demonstrate that our approach, a more active Labour government, a more reformist government, can provide the answers for people in every part of this country," the official added. Moreover, Starmer will also announce protective measures for the British economy in the upcoming week amid Trump's ongoing tariff war, Bloomberg reported. Also read: 'Following Trump's footsteps': UK minister resigns over Keir Starmer's historic foreign aid cut “The world as we knew it has gone. We must rise to meet the moment,” said Keir Starmer cited the news agency quoting the Telegraph. Notably, Monday's address will be Starmer's first significant intervention since Trump imposed retaliatory tariffs on April 2. During the address, he will acknowledge that the seismic global economic effects prove that the UK must "move further and faster" to boost growth with supply-side reforms. Also read: Trump might go back on tariffs on Vietnam, here's why Moreover, later this week, the UK government is also planning to make pro-growth announcements, including easing regulations on electric car manufacturers and bringing forward parts of the government's industrial strategy. Also, the UK will also hold an "economic and financial dialogue" with India on Wednesday to try to break a trade deal. Also read: 'Can’t stomach Trump’s absurd tariff math': US treasury secretary 'looking for exit door' after tariffs ruin his credibility (With inputs from agencies)

'End of globalisation'? UK PM Keir Starmer's BIG announcement as Trump's disastrous tariffs shake markets

From dust-filled days of the Industrial Revolution to becoming a manufacturing hub in Britain to shining on the showbiz map with 'Peaky Blinders' to now being dubbed as the 'garbage capital', Birmingham has come a long way!
The streets in the UK's second city are filled with approximately 17,000 tonnes of trash as workers announced 'bin strike' last month.&nbsp;
<h2>What is the 'bin strike' and why is it happening?</h2>
As per a BBC report, the members of the union in Birmingham announced a 'bin strike' after a dispute with the city council over plans to scrap the role of Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO). The union said that the move would lead to pay cuts.&nbsp;It added that about 170 affected workers faced losing an average of &pound;8,000 (10,308 USD) a year due to the decision.
The union claimed that the removal of WRCO would not allow them "a fair path for pay progression". It alleged that the city council is planning to downgrade the pay of other non-management roles in the service.
The 'bin strike' started with walkouts that were planned in phases. The first such walkout happened on January 6. However, the union said that the decision to move to an all-out strike was because the authority hired temporary labour during their 'walkout protest'.
The workers have been on strike since March 11 after striking intermittently since January.&nbsp;
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-national-stabbed-to-death-in-canada-suspect-held-indian-embassy-8927732" rel="dofollow">Indian national stabbed to death in Canada, suspect held: Indian embassy</a>
<h2>What has the Birmingham City Council said?</h2>
Birmingham City Council said that the WRCO role was not industry standard and did not exist in other councils, as per BBC. It added that the change was part of the waste collection service restructure to make sure the workforce could meet the challenges of delivering a modern waste service.&nbsp;
The authorities also claimed that affected staff would lose an average of &pound;8,000 per year was incorrect.&nbsp;While the council declared the dispute a major incident earlier this week, it is causing misery for the residents who say they face a public health crisis.
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spain-scraps-golden-visa-programme-after-12-years-whats-behind-the-move-8924232" rel="dofollow">Spain scraps golden visa programme after 12 years, what's behind the move</a>
<h2>What is a 'major incident'?</h2>
A major incident is a situation that requires special arrangements to be implemented by one or more emergency responder agencies.&nbsp;The declaration of a 'major incident' means the council can increase its street cleaning operation, extend opening hours and fly-tipping removal and bring in extra vehicles and crews. It also allows the Labour-run council to "work with partners to better manage the risks the city is facing."
Read More | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-18-including-9-children-killed-in-zelenskys-hometown-moscow-says-was-targeting-military-8927675" rel="dofollow">Ukraine war: 18, including 9 children, killed in Zelensky's hometown, Moscow says was targeting 'military'</a>
Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton said that the announcement was made in response to public health concerns by the residents and the struggles of the authorities to clean the trash all over the city.
"I respect the right to strike and protest, however, actions on the picket line must be lawful and sadly the behaviour of some now means we are seeing a significant impact on residents and the city's environment. Unless we declare a major incident and deploy the waste service's contingency plan, then we would be unable to clear the backlog of waste on the streets," Cotton was quoted by BBC.
<h2>Negotiations and Government's response</h2>
Negotiations and talks between the union and the city council have not yielded results with the union announcing on Friday (Apr 3) that the strike would continue.
The matter was also raised in the UK Parliament with Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemning the bin strike as "completely unacceptable". Starmer said he supported the Labour-run city council's decision to declare it a major incident.
Read More |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-likely-to-travel-to-saudi-arabia-this-month-8927212" rel="dofollow">PM Modi likely to travel to Saudi Arabia this month</a>
His reaction came after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of not wanting to talk about Birmingham. Independent MP Ayoub Khan also blasted Starmer over Labour's "disgraceful" Birmingham bin strike failures.
UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner blamed the previous Tory government for the build-up of rubbish in Birmingham. However, the Birmingham City Council has been ruled by the Labour Party since 2012.
(With inputs from agencies)

World, trending | Birmingham, UK's second city, is filled with approximately 17,000 tonnes of trash as workers announced 'bin strike' last month.  What is 'bin strike'

From dust-filled days of the Industrial Revolution to becoming a manufacturing hub in Britain to shining on the showbiz map with 'Peaky Blinders' to now being dubbed as the 'garbage capital', Birmingham has come a long way! The streets in the UK's second city are filled with approximately 17,000 tonnes of trash as workers announced 'bin strike' last month. What is the 'bin strike' and why is it happening? As per a BBC report, the members of the union in Birmingham announced a 'bin strike' after a dispute with the city council over plans to scrap the role of Waste Recycling and Collection Officer (WRCO). The union said that the move would lead to pay cuts. It added that about 170 affected workers faced losing an average of £8,000 (10,308 USD) a year due to the decision. The union claimed that the removal of WRCO would not allow them "a fair path for pay progression". It alleged that the city council is planning to downgrade the pay of other non-management roles in the service. The 'bin strike' started with walkouts that were planned in phases. The first such walkout happened on January 6. However, the union said that the decision to move to an all-out strike was because the authority hired temporary labour during their 'walkout protest'. The workers have been on strike since March 11 after striking intermittently since January. Read More | Indian national stabbed to death in Canada, suspect held: Indian embassy What has the Birmingham City Council said? Birmingham City Council said that the WRCO role was not industry standard and did not exist in other councils, as per BBC. It added that the change was part of the waste collection service restructure to make sure the workforce could meet the challenges of delivering a modern waste service. The authorities also claimed that affected staff would lose an average of £8,000 per year was incorrect. While the council declared the dispute a major incident earlier this week, it is causing misery for the residents who say they face a public health crisis. Read More | Spain scraps golden visa programme after 12 years, what's behind the move What is a 'major incident'? A major incident is a situation that requires special arrangements to be implemented by one or more emergency responder agencies. The declaration of a 'major incident' means the council can increase its street cleaning operation, extend opening hours and fly-tipping removal and bring in extra vehicles and crews. It also allows the Labour-run council to "work with partners to better manage the risks the city is facing." Read More | Ukraine war: 18, including 9 children, killed in Zelensky's hometown, Moscow says was targeting 'military' Birmingham City Council leader John Cotton said that the announcement was made in response to public health concerns by the residents and the struggles of the authorities to clean the trash all over the city. "I respect the right to strike and protest, however, actions on the picket line must be lawful and sadly the behaviour of some now means we are seeing a significant impact on residents and the city's environment. Unless we declare a major incident and deploy the waste service's contingency plan, then we would be unable to clear the backlog of waste on the streets," Cotton was quoted by BBC. Negotiations and Government's response Negotiations and talks between the union and the city council have not yielded results with the union announcing on Friday (Apr 3) that the strike would continue. The matter was also raised in the UK Parliament with Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemning the bin strike as "completely unacceptable". Starmer said he supported the Labour-run city council's decision to declare it a major incident. Read More | PM Modi likely to travel to Saudi Arabia this month His reaction came after Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of not wanting to talk about Birmingham. Independent MP Ayoub Khan also blasted Starmer over Labour's "disgraceful" Birmingham bin strike failures. UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner blamed the previous Tory government for the build-up of rubbish in Birmingham. However, the Birmingham City Council has been ruled by the Labour Party since 2012. (With inputs from agencies)

Birmingham is filled with trash: what is 'bin strike', why is it happening

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has revealed that he faced pressure from Washington to criticise President Volodymyr Zelensky after the latter&rsquo;s showdown with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office led to the Ukrainian president walking out of the White House early.
Starmer said in an interview with the New York Times (NYT) that was published March 23, that the U.K. is acting as a bridge between Ukraine and the U.S. and that President Donald Trump&rsquo;s actions, such as rebuking Zelensky, have caused &ldquo;a degree of disorientation&rdquo;. He added that the best response is not to get provoked.
&ldquo;On the day in which the Oval Office meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky didn&rsquo;t go particularly well, we were under pressure to come out very critically with, you know, flowery adjectives to describe how others felt,&rdquo; Starmer told the NYT in the interview.
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/difficult-negotiations-ahead-russia-downplays-ukraine-peace-talks-before-us-meeting-8882678" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Difficult negotiations&rsquo; ahead: Russia downplays Ukraine peace talks before US meeting</a>
Starmer said that instead of doing what was desired, and withstanding the pressure, he decided to call both sides to &ldquo;try and get them back on the same page&rdquo;. He added that he has a good relationship with Trump and understands &ldquo;what he&rsquo;s trying to achieve&rdquo;.
Following the heated Oval Office clash, Starmer sent his national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, to Kyiv to counsel Zelensky on how to mend the frayed ties with Trump. The British leader later updated Trump on Kyiv&rsquo;s progress, helping set up a call between the two presidents that saw Zelensky openly back Trump&rsquo;s peace efforts. Washington restored military aid and intelligence support to Kyiv and, at times, threatened Russia with sanctions.
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-prayed-for-trump-after-assassination-attempt-says-top-us-envoy-steve-witkoff-8880576" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Putin prayed for Trump after assassination attempt, says top US envoy Steve Witkoff</a>
Starmer, who is a strong supporter of Ukraine, has called for countries to join a &ldquo;coalition of the willing&rdquo; to support Ukraine with a peacekeeping force. He warned that Putin will breach any peace deal unless security guarantees are in place.&nbsp; Starmer is trying to build a multinational military force with the goal of keeping Ukraine&rsquo;s skies, ports, and borders secure after any peace settlement.
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-will-have-to-come-to-the-table-starmers-plan-b-for-ukraine-ceasefire-8857525" target="_blank" rel="noopener">'Putin will HAVE to come to the table': Starmer's 'Plan B' for Ukraine ceasefire</a> &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t trust Putin,&rdquo; Starmer said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sure Putin would try to insist that Ukraine should be defenseless after a deal because that gives him what he wants, which is the opportunity to go in again.&rdquo; &ldquo;It needs to be clear to Putin that there will be severe consequences if he breaches the lines,&rdquo; the UK PM said on March 20.
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-putin-call-underway-white-house-says-talks-going-well-russia-ukraine-war-live-updates-8866815" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump-Putin call ends after over two hours, White House and Kremlin confirm | Key HIGHLIGHTS</a> Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials are quite sceptical of Washington&rsquo;s attempts to broker a ceasefire. A U.S.-orchestrated 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure was agreed by Moscow and Kyiv on March 18, but Russia has continued to launch hundreds of drones at Ukraine, killing dozens of civilians.
U.S. negotiators are scheduled to meet Ukrainian and Russian delegates separately in Riyadh on March 24 to discuss the partial ceasefire proposal.

World: Following the heated Oval Office clash, Starmer sent his national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, to Kyiv to counsel Zelensky on how to mend the frayed ties with Trump. He later helped set up a call between the two presidents.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has revealed that he faced pressure from Washington to criticise President Volodymyr Zelensky after the latter’s showdown with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office led to the Ukrainian president walking out of the White House early. Starmer said in an interview with the New York Times (NYT) that was published March 23, that the U.K. is acting as a bridge between Ukraine and the U.S. and that President Donald Trump’s actions, such as rebuking Zelensky, have caused “a degree of disorientation”. He added that the best response is not to get provoked. “On the day in which the Oval Office meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky didn’t go particularly well, we were under pressure to come out very critically with, you know, flowery adjectives to describe how others felt,” Starmer told the NYT in the interview. Also read: ‘Difficult negotiations’ ahead: Russia downplays Ukraine peace talks before US meeting Starmer said that instead of doing what was desired, and withstanding the pressure, he decided to call both sides to “try and get them back on the same page”. He added that he has a good relationship with Trump and understands “what he’s trying to achieve”. Following the heated Oval Office clash, Starmer sent his national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, to Kyiv to counsel Zelensky on how to mend the frayed ties with Trump. The British leader later updated Trump on Kyiv’s progress, helping set up a call between the two presidents that saw Zelensky openly back Trump’s peace efforts. Washington restored military aid and intelligence support to Kyiv and, at times, threatened Russia with sanctions. Also read: Putin prayed for Trump after assassination attempt, says top US envoy Steve Witkoff Starmer, who is a strong supporter of Ukraine, has called for countries to join a “coalition of the willing” to support Ukraine with a peacekeeping force. He warned that Putin will breach any peace deal unless security guarantees are in place. Starmer is trying to build a multinational military force with the goal of keeping Ukraine’s skies, ports, and borders secure after any peace settlement. Also read: 'Putin will HAVE to come to the table': Starmer's 'Plan B' for Ukraine ceasefire “I don’t trust Putin,” Starmer said. “I’m sure Putin would try to insist that Ukraine should be defenseless after a deal because that gives him what he wants, which is the opportunity to go in again.” “It needs to be clear to Putin that there will be severe consequences if he breaches the lines,” the UK PM said on March 20. Also read: Trump-Putin call ends after over two hours, White House and Kremlin confirm | Key HIGHLIGHTS Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials are quite sceptical of Washington’s attempts to broker a ceasefire. A U.S.-orchestrated 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure was agreed by Moscow and Kyiv on March 18, but Russia has continued to launch hundreds of drones at Ukraine, killing dozens of civilians. U.S. negotiators are scheduled to meet Ukrainian and Russian delegates separately in Riyadh on March 24 to discuss the partial ceasefire proposal.

Starmer faced pressure from US to slam Zelensky after Oval Office clash with Trump: Report

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised continued Russian strikes on his country, saying such attacks remain a "daily reality" even after a partial ceasefire agreement last week.
Speaking ahead of ceasefire discussions due to take place in Saudi Arabia, Zelenskyy highlighted recent deadly incidents, including a drone attack on Kyiv that killed at least three people and a separate strike on Zaporizhzhia, where a family of three lost their lives late Friday.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/difficult-negotiations-ahead-russia-downplays-ukraine-peace-talks-before-us-meeting-8882678">&lsquo;Difficult negotiations&rsquo; ahead: Russia downplays Ukraine peace talks before US meeting</a>
In a post shared on X, Zelensky wrote, &ldquo;These attacks are a daily reality. This week alone, over 1,580 guided aerial bombs, nearly 1,100 strike drones, and 15 missiles of various types were used against our people."
"All of this weaponry contains at least 102,000 foreign components. That&rsquo;s why sanctions against Russian terrorists must be more effective. Every loophole that allows them to bypass the sanctions regime must be eliminated," he added.
"New decisions and new pressure on Moscow are needed to bring an end to these strikes and this war. We must strengthen Ukraine and our army &ndash; with more air defense systems and real support. I thank all partners who understand this and continue to support Ukraine," Zelensky added.
Authorities in Ukraine said Sunday&rsquo;s overnight drone assault on the capital left eight people injured, including a five-year-old child among the dead. Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have downed 59 Ukrainian drones across southern regions and Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-putin-call-underway-white-house-says-talks-going-well-russia-ukraine-war-live-updates-8866815">Trump-Putin call ends after over two hours, White House and Kremlin confirm | Key HIGHLIGHTS</a>
<h2>Trump envoy dismisses Starmer&rsquo;s ceasefire proposal</h2>
In another development, Donald Trump&rsquo;s special envoy Steve Witkoff has rejected UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer&rsquo;s plan to form an international force to enforce a ceasefire in Ukraine, calling it &ldquo;a posture and a pose.&rdquo;
Witkoff said: "I think it's a combination of a posture and a pose and a combination of also being simplistic. Russians are going to march across Europe. That is preposterous by the way. We have something called Nato that we did not have in World War Two."
Speaking in an interview with Tucker Carlson, Witkoff criticised what he described as a &ldquo;simplistic&rdquo; approach from Starmer and European leaders, adding, &ldquo;There is this sort of notion that we have all got to be like Winston Churchill.&rdquo;
Witkoff also offered praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t regard Putin as a bad guy. He&rsquo;s super smart.&rdquo;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-prayed-for-trump-after-assassination-attempt-says-top-us-envoy-steve-witkoff-8880576">Putin prayed for Trump after assassination attempt, says top US envoy Steve Witkoff</a>
He claimed that Putin had been &ldquo;gracious&rdquo; during their meeting ten days earlier and had even told him he prayed for Trump after last year&rsquo;s assassination attempt. Putin had also gifted Trump a portrait, which Witkoff said &ldquo;clearly touched&rdquo; the former US president.
During the interview, Witkoff echoed multiple Russian narratives, including the claim that Ukraine is &ldquo;a false country.&rdquo; He questioned whether the international community would ever recognise the five occupied regions of Ukraine as part of Russia.
Although leading US negotiations, Witkoff struggled to name the five regions Russia has annexed or partially controls, referring vaguely to &ldquo;these so-called four regions, Donbas, Crimea&hellip; and there are two others.&rdquo;
The five regions are Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea. Donbas refers to the industrial area covering much of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Witkoff said, &ldquo;The elephant in the room is, there are constitutional issues within Ukraine as to what they can concede to with regard to giving up territory. The Russians are de facto in control of these territories. The question is: will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories?&rdquo;
He went on to say, &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a sensibility in Russia that Ukraine is just a false country&hellip; patched together in this sort of mosaic&hellip; and that&rsquo;s what is the root cause, in my opinion, of this war.&rdquo;
The US is due to hold separate meetings with both Russia and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia over Sunday and Monday to discuss the possibility of a ceasefire.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-will-have-to-come-to-the-table-starmers-plan-b-for-ukraine-ceasefire-8857525">'Putin will HAVE to come to the table': Starmer's 'Plan B' for Ukraine ceasefire</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has rejected UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to form an international force to enforce a ceasefire in Ukraine, calling it “a posture and a pose.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised continued Russian strikes on his country, saying such attacks remain a "daily reality" even after a partial ceasefire agreement last week. Speaking ahead of ceasefire discussions due to take place in Saudi Arabia, Zelenskyy highlighted recent deadly incidents, including a drone attack on Kyiv that killed at least three people and a separate strike on Zaporizhzhia, where a family of three lost their lives late Friday. Also read: ‘Difficult negotiations’ ahead: Russia downplays Ukraine peace talks before US meeting In a post shared on X, Zelensky wrote, “These attacks are a daily reality. This week alone, over 1,580 guided aerial bombs, nearly 1,100 strike drones, and 15 missiles of various types were used against our people." "All of this weaponry contains at least 102,000 foreign components. That’s why sanctions against Russian terrorists must be more effective. Every loophole that allows them to bypass the sanctions regime must be eliminated," he added. "New decisions and new pressure on Moscow are needed to bring an end to these strikes and this war. We must strengthen Ukraine and our army – with more air defense systems and real support. I thank all partners who understand this and continue to support Ukraine," Zelensky added. Authorities in Ukraine said Sunday’s overnight drone assault on the capital left eight people injured, including a five-year-old child among the dead. Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have downed 59 Ukrainian drones across southern regions and Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Also read: Trump-Putin call ends after over two hours, White House and Kremlin confirm | Key HIGHLIGHTS Trump envoy dismisses Starmer’s ceasefire proposal In another development, Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has rejected UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to form an international force to enforce a ceasefire in Ukraine, calling it “a posture and a pose.” Witkoff said: "I think it's a combination of a posture and a pose and a combination of also being simplistic. Russians are going to march across Europe. That is preposterous by the way. We have something called Nato that we did not have in World War Two." Speaking in an interview with Tucker Carlson, Witkoff criticised what he described as a “simplistic” approach from Starmer and European leaders, adding, “There is this sort of notion that we have all got to be like Winston Churchill.” Witkoff also offered praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, “I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy. He’s super smart.” Also read: Putin prayed for Trump after assassination attempt, says top US envoy Steve Witkoff He claimed that Putin had been “gracious” during their meeting ten days earlier and had even told him he prayed for Trump after last year’s assassination attempt. Putin had also gifted Trump a portrait, which Witkoff said “clearly touched” the former US president. During the interview, Witkoff echoed multiple Russian narratives, including the claim that Ukraine is “a false country.” He questioned whether the international community would ever recognise the five occupied regions of Ukraine as part of Russia. Although leading US negotiations, Witkoff struggled to name the five regions Russia has annexed or partially controls, referring vaguely to “these so-called four regions, Donbas, Crimea… and there are two others.” The five regions are Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea. Donbas refers to the industrial area covering much of Luhansk and Donetsk. Witkoff said, “The elephant in the room is, there are constitutional issues within Ukraine as to what they can concede to with regard to giving up territory. The Russians are de facto in control of these territories. The question is: will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories?” He went on to say, “There’s a sensibility in Russia that Ukraine is just a false country… patched together in this sort of mosaic… and that’s what is the root cause, in my opinion, of this war.” The US is due to hold separate meetings with both Russia and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia over Sunday and Monday to discuss the possibility of a ceasefire. Also read: 'Putin will HAVE to come to the table': Starmer's 'Plan B' for Ukraine ceasefire (With inputs from agencies)

‘Preposterous’: Trump envoy Witkoff dismisses Starmer’s Ukraine plan as Zelensky urges 'new pressure' on Russia

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer shined some light on his "plan B" if the Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree upon the ceasefire with Ukraine. Starmer along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, took part in a virtual "coalition of the willing" meeting on Saturday (March 15).
In the meeting, Starmer urged Putin to drop his "unreasonable" demands and commit to the peace. He asked the Russian president to &ldquo;let the guns fall silent&rdquo;.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-resume-military-aid-and-intelligence-support-to-ukraine-after-uk-pm-starmers-appeal-to-trump-8841299">US to resume military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine after UK PM Starmer's appeal to Trump</a>
But, reporters asked him what is his "plan B" for the "worst case scenario". They asked Starmer what if Putin stays still on his demands or denies coming to the negotiation table at all - what in that case?&nbsp;
The UK PM said a &ldquo;coalition of the willing&rdquo; must be prepared to help Ukraine into a strong position even if peace talks fall apart.
&ldquo;We will build up Ukraine&rsquo;s own defenses and armed forces, and be ready to deploy as a &lsquo;coalition of the willing&rsquo; in the event of a peace deal, to help secure Ukraine on the land, at sea, and in the sky," Starmer said.&nbsp;
"We need to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for whatever comes next. Whether that's around the table, which is what I hope it will be, or if that doesn't come to pass," he added.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-support-needed-uk-pm-starmer-announces-2bn-to-ukraine-for-air-missiles-after-eu-summit-8772002">&lsquo;US support needed&rsquo;: Starmer announces $2bn package to Ukraine for air missiles after defence summit</a>
<h2>'Putin will have to come to the table'</h2>
&ldquo;Sooner or later, Putin will have to come to the table,&rdquo; Starmer told the Downing Street press conference.&nbsp;
&ldquo;So, this is the moment, let the guns fall silent, let the barbaric attacks on Ukraine, once and for all, stop and agree to a ceasefire now," he added.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/would-come-again-if-given-chance-uk-pm-starmer-says-he-doesnt-trust-putin-calls-for-security-guarantees-8771054">&lsquo;He would come again&rsquo;: UK PM Starmer says he doesn&rsquo;t trust Putin, calls for &lsquo;security guarantees&rsquo;</a>
<h2>'Strong and robust plans'</h2>
Starmer further revealed that military chiefs would hold a meeting on Thursday (March 20) to "put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine's future security".&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/funds-for-weapons-production-in-ukraine-whats-inside-the-starmer-zelensky-loan-agreement-8770003">'Weapons production in Ukraine': What's inside the Starmer-Zelensky&nbsp;$2.84bn loan agreement?</a>
He said this after claiming that plans for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine move into an "operational phase".&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

WORLD | British Prime Minister Keir Starmer shined some light on the "plan B" if the Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree upon the ceasefire with Ukraine

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer shined some light on his "plan B" if the Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree upon the ceasefire with Ukraine. Starmer along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, took part in a virtual "coalition of the willing" meeting on Saturday (March 15). In the meeting, Starmer urged Putin to drop his "unreasonable" demands and commit to the peace. He asked the Russian president to “let the guns fall silent”. Also read: US to resume military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine after UK PM Starmer's appeal to Trump But, reporters asked him what is his "plan B" for the "worst case scenario". They asked Starmer what if Putin stays still on his demands or denies coming to the negotiation table at all - what in that case? The UK PM said a “coalition of the willing” must be prepared to help Ukraine into a strong position even if peace talks fall apart. “We will build up Ukraine’s own defenses and armed forces, and be ready to deploy as a ‘coalition of the willing’ in the event of a peace deal, to help secure Ukraine on the land, at sea, and in the sky," Starmer said. "We need to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for whatever comes next. Whether that's around the table, which is what I hope it will be, or if that doesn't come to pass," he added. Also read: ‘US support needed’: Starmer announces $2bn package to Ukraine for air missiles after defence summit 'Putin will have to come to the table' “Sooner or later, Putin will have to come to the table,” Starmer told the Downing Street press conference. “So, this is the moment, let the guns fall silent, let the barbaric attacks on Ukraine, once and for all, stop and agree to a ceasefire now," he added. Also read: ‘He would come again’: UK PM Starmer says he doesn’t trust Putin, calls for ‘security guarantees’ 'Strong and robust plans' Starmer further revealed that military chiefs would hold a meeting on Thursday (March 20) to "put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine's future security". Also read: 'Weapons production in Ukraine': What's inside the Starmer-Zelensky $2.84bn loan agreement? He said this after claiming that plans for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine move into an "operational phase". (With inputs from agencies)

'Putin will HAVE to come to the table': Starmer's 'Plan B' for Ukraine ceasefire

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, took part in a virtual "coalition of the willing" meeting on Saturday (March 15). The leaders discussed ongoing support for Ukraine and the urgent need for Russia to commit to peace.
<h2>Starmer condemns Russia&rsquo;s attacks</h2>
During the meeting, Starmer denounced Russia&rsquo;s continued aggression, calling its actions in Ukraine &ldquo;barbaric.&rdquo; He said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin was genuinely committed to peace, he should agree to an immediate ceasefire.
"President Zelensky, who&rsquo;s with us this morning, has shown once again that Ukraine is the party of peace, because he has agreed to and committed to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire," Starmer said.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-calls-on-ukraine-army-to-surrender-in-kursk-region-after-trumps-strong-appeal-8854315">Putin calls on Ukraine army to 'surrender' in Kursk region after Trump's 'strong' appeal</a>
He further added, "Now what we see, and this is centrepiece for our discussions today, is that Putin is the one trying to delay. In a sense, and you will know this, if Putin is serious about peace, it&rsquo;s very simple, he has to stop his barbaric attacks on Ukraine and agree to a ceasefire."
<h2>Call for stronger measures against Russia</h2>
Following the meeting, Starmer released a statement reaffirming the coalition&rsquo;s commitment to supporting Ukraine in the long term. He stressed the importance of security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression and ensure lasting peace.
"We underlined our unwavering commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine, both now and long into the future," he said.
The leaders welcomed the progress made in recent negotiations, particularly the breakthrough achieved in Jeddah, where President Zelensky accepted the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. However, they insisted that Russia must now demonstrate its willingness to end hostilities by agreeing to the ceasefire on equal terms.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ending-war-would-leave-putin-with-nothing-zelensky-urges-us-to-use-strength-of-america-to-convince-russia-8854181">'Ending war would leave Putin with nothing': Zelensky urges US to use 'strength of America' to convince Russia</a>
"The Kremlin&rsquo;s dithering and delay over President Trump&rsquo;s ceasefire proposal, and Russia&rsquo;s continued barbaric attacks on Ukraine, run entirely counter to President Putin&rsquo;s stated desire for peace," Starmer said.
<h2>Strengthening Ukraine&rsquo;s defence</h2>
The coalition also discussed plans to bolster Ukraine&rsquo;s security, ensuring that it can defend itself against future threats. Military planners are set to meet in the UK this week to develop strategies for supporting Ukraine&rsquo;s armed forces.
"We will build up Ukraine&rsquo;s own defences and armed forces, and be ready to deploy as a &lsquo;coalition of the willing&rsquo; in the event of a peace deal, to help secure Ukraine on the land, at sea and in the sky," Starmer added.
To enforce any potential ceasefire, leaders stressed the need for strong monitoring mechanisms to detect and call out violations. If Russia refuses to accept the ceasefire, Starmer said, the coalition would escalate its efforts to strengthen Ukraine while weakening Russia&rsquo;s war capabilities.
"We agreed that in the case that President Putin refused to agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, we would need to increase our efforts to strengthen Ukraine, weaken Russia&rsquo;s war machine and ratchet up pressure on President Putin to convince him to come to the negotiating table," he said.
<h2>Sanctions and military aid</h2>
In addition to military support, Starmer outlined plans to tighten economic sanctions against Russia and explore legal avenues to ensure Moscow pays for the destruction caused in Ukraine.
"We will accelerate our military support, tighten our sanctions on Russia&rsquo;s revenues and continue to explore all lawful routes to ensure that Russia pays for the damage it has done to Ukraine," he said.
(With inputs from agencies)

World: During the meeting, Starmer denounced Russia’s continued aggression, calling its actions in Ukraine “barbaric.” He said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin was genuinely committed to peace, he should agree to an immediate ceasefire.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, took part in a virtual "coalition of the willing" meeting on Saturday (March 15). The leaders discussed ongoing support for Ukraine and the urgent need for Russia to commit to peace. Starmer condemns Russia’s attacks During the meeting, Starmer denounced Russia’s continued aggression, calling its actions in Ukraine “barbaric.” He said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin was genuinely committed to peace, he should agree to an immediate ceasefire. "President Zelensky, who’s with us this morning, has shown once again that Ukraine is the party of peace, because he has agreed to and committed to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire," Starmer said. Also read: Putin calls on Ukraine army to 'surrender' in Kursk region after Trump's 'strong' appeal He further added, "Now what we see, and this is centrepiece for our discussions today, is that Putin is the one trying to delay. In a sense, and you will know this, if Putin is serious about peace, it’s very simple, he has to stop his barbaric attacks on Ukraine and agree to a ceasefire." Call for stronger measures against Russia Following the meeting, Starmer released a statement reaffirming the coalition’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in the long term. He stressed the importance of security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression and ensure lasting peace. "We underlined our unwavering commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine, both now and long into the future," he said. The leaders welcomed the progress made in recent negotiations, particularly the breakthrough achieved in Jeddah, where President Zelensky accepted the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. However, they insisted that Russia must now demonstrate its willingness to end hostilities by agreeing to the ceasefire on equal terms. Also read: 'Ending war would leave Putin with nothing': Zelensky urges US to use 'strength of America' to convince Russia "The Kremlin’s dithering and delay over President Trump’s ceasefire proposal, and Russia’s continued barbaric attacks on Ukraine, run entirely counter to President Putin’s stated desire for peace," Starmer said. Strengthening Ukraine’s defence The coalition also discussed plans to bolster Ukraine’s security, ensuring that it can defend itself against future threats. Military planners are set to meet in the UK this week to develop strategies for supporting Ukraine’s armed forces. "We will build up Ukraine’s own defences and armed forces, and be ready to deploy as a ‘coalition of the willing’ in the event of a peace deal, to help secure Ukraine on the land, at sea and in the sky," Starmer added. To enforce any potential ceasefire, leaders stressed the need for strong monitoring mechanisms to detect and call out violations. If Russia refuses to accept the ceasefire, Starmer said, the coalition would escalate its efforts to strengthen Ukraine while weakening Russia’s war capabilities. "We agreed that in the case that President Putin refused to agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, we would need to increase our efforts to strengthen Ukraine, weaken Russia’s war machine and ratchet up pressure on President Putin to convince him to come to the negotiating table," he said. Sanctions and military aid In addition to military support, Starmer outlined plans to tighten economic sanctions against Russia and explore legal avenues to ensure Moscow pays for the destruction caused in Ukraine. "We will accelerate our military support, tighten our sanctions on Russia’s revenues and continue to explore all lawful routes to ensure that Russia pays for the damage it has done to Ukraine," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

'Will build Ukraine’s own defences':  UK, France, NATO unite to push Russia into ceasefire as Putin 'stalls'

The United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned on Sunday (March 1) that this is a "once-in-a-generation moment" for the security of Europe, adding that getting a good outcome for Ukraine is vital.&nbsp;
Starmer is hosting the crucial defence summit in London on Sunday (March 1) with the European leaders, including Ukrainian President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/zelensky" rel="dofollow">Volodymyr Zelensky</a>.
While opening the summit, the UK PM expressed support for Zelensky, saying, "We are all with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it takes."&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/would-come-again-if-given-chance-uk-pm-starmer-says-he-doesnt-trust-putin-calls-for-security-guarantees-8771054">&lsquo;He would come again&rsquo;: UK PM Starmer says he doesn&rsquo;t trust Putin, calls for &lsquo;security guarantees&rsquo;</a>
&ldquo;This is a once in a generation moment for the security of Europe,&rdquo; he said, adding that &ldquo;getting a good outcome for Ukraine is not just a matter of right or wrong; it&rsquo;s vital for the security of every nation here and many others too."
He further said that he spoke with the Baltic nations earlier, as they are "obviously part of our discussion" too. Earlier, Starmer apologised to the leaders of Baltic nations for not inviting them. However, no invitation to the Baltics sparked a bit of controversy in the region.&nbsp;
The three countries are in the top four contributors of aid for Ukraine if counted as a percentage of GDP, according to the Kiel Institute&rsquo;s Ukraine Support Tracker.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/funds-for-weapons-production-in-ukraine-whats-inside-the-starmer-zelensky-loan-agreement-8770003">'Weapons production in Ukraine': What's inside the Starmer-Zelensky&nbsp;$2.84bn loan agreement?</a>
<h2>UK to discuss plan with US&nbsp;</h2>
Starmer said that he intends to work on a plan for Ukraine to then discuss it with the US and take it forward together.
He stressed that today's talks at the summit will focus on how we can deliver just, enduring peace together" and how to support Ukraine "because even while Russia talks about peace, they are continuing their relentless aggression.&rdquo;
It is a full house now at Lancaster House as the talks between world leaders are underway in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-keir-starmer-support-for-ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelensky-day-after-spat-with-us-president-donald-trump-8769671">'For as long as it may take': UK PM Keir Starmer affirms support for Zelensky day after spat with Trump</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: Starmer is hosting the crucial defence summit in London on Sunday (March 1) with the European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned on Sunday (March 1) that this is a "once-in-a-generation moment" for the security of Europe, adding that getting a good outcome for Ukraine is vital. Starmer is hosting the crucial defence summit in London on Sunday (March 1) with the European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. While opening the summit, the UK PM expressed support for Zelensky, saying, "We are all with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it takes." Also read: ‘He would come again’: UK PM Starmer says he doesn’t trust Putin, calls for ‘security guarantees’ “This is a once in a generation moment for the security of Europe,” he said, adding that “getting a good outcome for Ukraine is not just a matter of right or wrong; it’s vital for the security of every nation here and many others too." He further said that he spoke with the Baltic nations earlier, as they are "obviously part of our discussion" too. Earlier, Starmer apologised to the leaders of Baltic nations for not inviting them. However, no invitation to the Baltics sparked a bit of controversy in the region. The three countries are in the top four contributors of aid for Ukraine if counted as a percentage of GDP, according to the Kiel Institute’s Ukraine Support Tracker. Also read: 'Weapons production in Ukraine': What's inside the Starmer-Zelensky $2.84bn loan agreement? UK to discuss plan with US Starmer said that he intends to work on a plan for Ukraine to then discuss it with the US and take it forward together. He stressed that today's talks at the summit will focus on how we can deliver just, enduring peace together" and how to support Ukraine "because even while Russia talks about peace, they are continuing their relentless aggression.” It is a full house now at Lancaster House as the talks between world leaders are underway in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Also read: 'For as long as it may take': UK PM Keir Starmer affirms support for Zelensky day after spat with Trump (With inputs from agencies)

‘Once in a generation moment for security’: PM Starmer opens Ukraine defence summit in London

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday (March 2) that he does not "trust" Russian President Vladimir Putin, stressing that a ceasefire without a security guarantee would be dangerous and "he would come again" if given the chance.&nbsp;
Hence the critical need for &ldquo;security guarantees&rdquo;, the UK prime minister said. Starmer has been insisting that without a security guarantee, the Russian president could attack Ukraine again and the situation could blow up into a wider war.
On the other hand, he said that he trusts Zelensky and Trump. When asked if Zelensky had done anything wrong, Starmer said, "he didn't", adding that the Ukrainian president has bravely served his country as a wartime leader since Russia&rsquo;s full-scale invasion was launched in February 2022.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/in-trump-zelensky-fight-over-ukraine-the-winner-is-vladimir-putin-8767033">In Trump-Zelensky fight over Ukraine, the winner is Vladimir Putin</a>
<h2>'Felt uncomfortable'</h2>
Starmer said that he felt "uncomfortable" watching the argument between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.&nbsp;
The UK PM insisted that the focus has to be a "lasting peace" in Ukraine, adding that it is crucial for the security of Europe.&nbsp;
While talking to the BBC, when he was asked about the fiery conversation between Trump and Zelensky, Starmer said, "Nobody wants to see that", adding that he spoke to Trump and Zelensky on the phone after the heated exchange.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-just-trump-biden-also-had-once-raised-his-voice-at-zelensky-heres-what-happened-8770962">Not just Trump, Biden had also raised his voice at Zelensky once. Here&rsquo;s what happened</a>
He said that the purpose has been to "bridge" tensions to get everyone back to the "central focus" of supporting Ukraine to "stop the fighting" in the long run.
While talking about lasting peace, Starmer said that the worst of all outcomes is for Russia to break the terms of an agreed ceasefire deal.&nbsp;
"What I am clear about is that if there is to be a deal, if there is to be a stopping of the fighting, then that agreement has to be defended, because the worst of all outcomes is that there is a temporary pause, and then Putin comes again," he stressed.&nbsp;
Calling it a "real risk", the UK PM said that this has happened in the past. "That is why we must ensure that if there&rsquo;s a deal, it&rsquo;s a lasting deal, not a temporary pause."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/funds-for-weapons-production-in-ukraine-whats-inside-the-starmer-zelensky-loan-agreement-8770003">'Weapons production in Ukraine': What's inside the Starmer-Zelensky&nbsp;$2.84bn loan agreement?</a>
<h2>US security guarantee subject of 'intense discussion'</h2>
Starmer said that he thinks the US president wants to see a lasting peace in Ukraine despite his rhetoric and attitude towards Zelensky.&nbsp;
"Everybody agrees with that, apart from Putin,&rdquo; he told the BBC.&nbsp;
The security guarantee from the US is the subject of &ldquo;intense&rdquo; discussion, Starmer said.
By &ldquo;lasting peace&rdquo;, Starmer means a &ldquo;US backstop&rdquo;, along with &ldquo;security guarantees&rdquo; provided by European countries and a &ldquo;strong Ukraine&rdquo; armed with defensive capabilities to resist the Russian invasion.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/antagonistic-us-state-secretary-marco-rubio-demands-apology-from-zelensky-for-white-house-fiasco-8768868">'Antagonistic': US State Secretary Marco Rubio demands 'apology' from Zelensky for White House fiasco</a>
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

World: Starmer said that he felt "uncomfortable" watching the argument between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday (March 2) that he does not "trust" Russian President Vladimir Putin, stressing that a ceasefire without a security guarantee would be dangerous and "he would come again" if given the chance. Hence the critical need for “security guarantees”, the UK prime minister said. Starmer has been insisting that without a security guarantee, the Russian president could attack Ukraine again and the situation could blow up into a wider war. On the other hand, he said that he trusts Zelensky and Trump. When asked if Zelensky had done anything wrong, Starmer said, "he didn't", adding that the Ukrainian president has bravely served his country as a wartime leader since Russia’s full-scale invasion was launched in February 2022. Also read: In Trump-Zelensky fight over Ukraine, the winner is Vladimir Putin 'Felt uncomfortable' Starmer said that he felt "uncomfortable" watching the argument between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. The UK PM insisted that the focus has to be a "lasting peace" in Ukraine, adding that it is crucial for the security of Europe. While talking to the BBC, when he was asked about the fiery conversation between Trump and Zelensky, Starmer said, "Nobody wants to see that", adding that he spoke to Trump and Zelensky on the phone after the heated exchange. Also read: Not just Trump, Biden had also raised his voice at Zelensky once. Here’s what happened He said that the purpose has been to "bridge" tensions to get everyone back to the "central focus" of supporting Ukraine to "stop the fighting" in the long run. While talking about lasting peace, Starmer said that the worst of all outcomes is for Russia to break the terms of an agreed ceasefire deal. "What I am clear about is that if there is to be a deal, if there is to be a stopping of the fighting, then that agreement has to be defended, because the worst of all outcomes is that there is a temporary pause, and then Putin comes again," he stressed. Calling it a "real risk", the UK PM said that this has happened in the past. "That is why we must ensure that if there’s a deal, it’s a lasting deal, not a temporary pause." Also read: 'Weapons production in Ukraine': What's inside the Starmer-Zelensky $2.84bn loan agreement? US security guarantee subject of 'intense discussion' Starmer said that he thinks the US president wants to see a lasting peace in Ukraine despite his rhetoric and attitude towards Zelensky. "Everybody agrees with that, apart from Putin,” he told the BBC. The security guarantee from the US is the subject of “intense” discussion, Starmer said. By “lasting peace”, Starmer means a “US backstop”, along with “security guarantees” provided by European countries and a “strong Ukraine” armed with defensive capabilities to resist the Russian invasion. Also read: 'Antagonistic': US State Secretary Marco Rubio demands 'apology' from Zelensky for White House fiasco (With inputs from agencies)

‘He would come again’: UK PM Starmer says he doesn’t trust Putin, calls for ‘security guarantees’

keir-starmer

Keir Starmer, News on Keir Starmer, stories on Keir Starmer, articles on Keir Starmer, Keir Starmer stories at Wion, Keir Starmer news, Keir Starmer latest news

keir starmer