The letter sent by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 28 February 2025.
Letter (in ,pdf format)
Tag: Keir Starmer
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Keir Starmer – 2025 Comments at White House Press Conference
The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 27 February 2025.
Thank you very much, Mr President.
Thank you for your hospitality, thank you for your leadership.
This has been a very good and very productive visit.
And with your family roots in Scotland…
And your close bond with His Majesty the King…
It’s good to know…
That the United Kingdom has a true friend in the Oval Office.
And it was so good to see the bust of Winston Churchill back in its rightful place just a moment ago.
But look, in a moment of real danger around the world…
This relationship matters more than ever.
We remain each other’s first partner in defence…
Ready to come to the other’s aid…
To counter threats, wherever and whenever they may arise.
No two militaries are more intertwined than ours.
No two countries have done more together to keep people safe.
And in a few weeks’ time we’ll mark VE Day…
The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe.
Britain and America fought side-by-side to make that happen –
One of the greatest moments in our history.
We stand side-by-side still, today…
And we’re focused now…
On bringing an enduring end to the barbaric war in Ukraine.
Mr President, I welcome your deep, personal commitment…
To bring peace and stop the killing.
You have created a moment of tremendous opportunity…
To reach an historic peace deal –
A deal that would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world.
That is the prize.
But we have to get it right.
There’s a famous slogan in the United Kingdom…
From after the Second World War –
That is that we have to “win the peace.”
And that’s what we must do now.
Because it can’t be a peace that rewards the aggressor…
Or that gives succour to regimes like Iran.
We agree – history must be on the side of the peacemaker…
Not the invader.
So the stakes, they could not be higher.
And we’re determined to work together to deliver a good deal.
We’ve discussed a plan today…
To reach a peace that is tough and fair…
That Ukraine will help to shape…
That is backed by strength –
To stop Putin coming back for more.
And I am working closely with other European leaders on this.
And I am clear –
That the UK is ready…
To put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal.
Working together with our allies,
Because that is the only way that peace that will last.
Mr President, in this new era…
You’re also right that Europe must step up.
And let me tell you now –
I see the growing threats we face…
And so the UK is all in.
This year we will be giving more military aid to Ukraine than ever.
And just this week…
I have set out how we are shouldering more of the security burden.
We’re already one of the biggest spenders in NATO…
And now we are going much further…
Delivering Britain’s biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.
This isn’t just talk – it’s action.
Rebalancing the transatlantic alliance…
Making us all stronger…
And standing up for our shared values and shared security…
As Britain always has.
Now, Mr President…
It’s no secret we’re from different political traditions…
But there is a lot that we have in common.
We believe it’s not taking part that counts…
What counts is winning.
If you don’t win – you don’t deliver.
And we’re determined to deliver for the working people of Britain and America –
Who want – and deserve – to see their lives improve.
So we’re both in a hurry to get things done.
And that’s what the UK and the US do when we work together:
We win – and we get things done.
So we’ll do what it takes to keep our people safe…
We will also work together…
To deliver some big economic wins that can benefit us both.
We have $1.5 trillion invested in each other’s economies…
Creating over 2.5 million jobs across both economies.
Our trading relationship is not just strong –
It is fair, balanced and reciprocal.
We’re leaders together in so many areas…
Ranked one and two in the world as investment destinations…
One and two for universities…
One and two for Nobel prizes…
One and two in golf, as well – by the way…
And we’re the only two western countries with trillion dollar tech sectors –
Leaders in AI…
And look, we take a similar approach on this issue.
Instead of over-regulating these new technologies…
We’re seizing the opportunities they offer.
So we have decided today to go further…
To begin work on a new economic deal…
With advanced technology at its core…
Look – our two nations, together…
Shaped the great technological innovations of the last century.
We have a chance now…
To do the same for the 21st century…
I mean – artificial intelligence could cure cancer…
That could be a moonshot for our age…
And that’s how we will keep delivering for our people.
There are so many opportunities.
Keep our nations strong…
And fulfil the promise of greatness…
That has always defined this relationship.
Finally, to underline the importance of this bond…
It was my privilege and honour to bring a letter with me today –
From His Majesty the King…
Not only sending his best wishes…
But also inviting the President and the First Lady to make a State Visit to the United Kingdom…
An unprecedented second State Visit – this has never happened before.
It’s so incredible it will be historic.
And I’m delighted that I can go back to His Majesty The King and tell him that President Trump has accepted the invitation.
So thank you.
Our teams will now work together to set a date.
Mr President, we look forward to welcoming you in the United Kingdom.
Thank you once again.
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Keir Starmer – 2025 Remarks At Ukraine Reception
The remarks made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 24 February 2025.
It’s a privilege to welcome you all here to Downing Street this afternoon.
This, of course, is not only my office and the centre of our government but it is also my home. So it is appropriate that I throw open the doors to my home to you and make you feel welcome in this building, which is where you should be.
And particularly fitting that you are here in my home today as we recognise people who have been welcomed into homes across the country, and I know there are many of you here.
I’ve just had the privilege and the opportunity to talk with a number of you who have been here some for some little time now and often with children. There are people here who have come, people here who have opened their doors and there are many others across the country.
We are really proud of the people who have opened their doors, opened their hearts as well – because it’s not just a shelter, it’s opening hearts and making you feel welcome particularly in this time of conflict and uncertainty.
And I said to the people I was talking to just now, I would love to be able to get you all together here again on a future occasion that isn’t an anniversary of an awful conflict because that is, of course, what it is today.
Because in the face of that conflict, I do think the bond between our two countries has got stronger and stronger. I think it was a good strong bond anyway, but it has got much stronger and that’s happened across the kitchen tables up and down the nation, as well as the meeting tables.
And of course, I have had the privilege of meeting President Zelenskyy very many times now, on a number of occasions in different places, including here in Downing Street and, of course, in Kyiv.
I’ve actually been to Kyiv four times. I went twice before the conflict, because before I was a politician, I was the chief prosecutor and we were working with criminal justice colleagues in Kyiv. And so I have seen Kyiv in peace – a brilliant, fantastic city – and I’ve seen it twice, once as leader of the opposition and just a few weeks ago as Prime Minister, in this terrible conflict.
When I was there just a few weeks ago, I was able to express our solidarity and support, and I was struck again by the resilience and strength of the Ukrainians, because that sense of civic duty, going and doing everyday work, and treating it as work for the nation was very, very strong.
When I was there four weeks ago, I went to the burns unit at one of the hospitals and saw for myself some of those who have been on the frontline who were being treated in hospital with terrible burns from blasts, really life-changing injuries, and civilians as well who had been caught up in blasts.
In one sense, it’s obvious when you’re in conflict you are going to see things like that but when you’re there and you see it right there, the human impact is huge.
Because this isn’t just about discussions of defence and security in Europe, although it is that, it isn’t just about sovereignty and it is that, it is about the impact on human beings.
When I was there I met children in a school in Kyiv, they were primary-school age so they were 8, 9, 10-years-old, living under the threat of bombardment all of the time. It’s what they are growing up with and I met some of them who had already lost their parents on the frontline at that tender age. That is really humbling, it really brought home to me the human impact of all of this.
Politics is about the decisions you make but it is also about who you have in your mind’s eye when you make your decisions. And I think it is very important that we have you in our mind’s eye.
When I was there with President Zelenskyy just a few weeks ago, we then went to have our discussion as two leaders and at that point a drone – a Russian drone – was up in the sky and had to be shot down right above the presidential palace, which for me was just a real reminder of what it is like to live in Kyiv and to have that threat every day now with the drones going up. It brought home to me the uncertainty and the fear – not just obviously for yourselves and the people living in the conflict, but all of their loved ones, and your family and extended family, and friends, and communities who are there and must be in your mind’s eye all of the time. And for your children and your country in the years to come.
So, amongst my messages here this afternoon is you are not alone.
We stand with you, and we have stood with you throughout this conflict and we will walk with you through this conflict, and we will continue to do so for as long as is necessary.
I am proud that we opened our homes; I’m proud of our NHS workers in the hospital I went to Kyiv, who had gone out there with their skills to try and work with those working in the hospitals; the soldiers that are training Ukrainian troops.
This is incredibly humbling work. I went to see it for myself down in Salisbury. Not only the professionalism of our troops who are doing the training but also the Ukrainian civilians, as they were, who had come to do the training. Through interpreters I talked to a number of them and they had been plumbers, they had been architects, working in local government, and here they were training to go to the frontline. And it was training that would normally take months being truncated into weeks. It was a real sense of what it is like to go through this awful conflict.
Because we know that this fight is about Ukraine – it is about you, your communities – but it is also about us. This is bigger than Ukraine – it is, of course, about Ukrainian sovereignty but it not just Ukrainian sovereignty. It is about our way of life, our freedoms, about security and defence in Europe, and security and defence here in the United Kingdom, and the values that we hold dear.
That’s why last time I was there I signed a 100-year partnership with Ukraine which is to signal the ongoing relationship that we want to build over many, many decades to come.
It’s why we are sending £4.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine this year – that’s more than ever before. And working with our international partners to guarantee the security of Ukraine for generations to come.
Because I strongly believe that whatever happens next, Ukraine must be in the strongest possible position. We must, we must, we must get peace through strength.
The temptation is always there to think that it is job done, or something is about to happen. We have got to make sure that we continue with our full support, whether that is capability, whether that is money, whether that’s training – all the other support that we can put in. And that’s my constant message in the discussions I am having with international leaders
We also need to be really clear as there are lots of discussions at the moment about negotiations: we can’t negotiate about Ukraine without Ukraine – you just can’t – and we must be absolutely clear about this.
After everything you and your people, your country has been through, all the suffering and hardship – this is about the future of Ukraine and Ukraine must be at the table. It’s an absolute pre-condition.
And we must work for a lasting peace. One of my biggest fears is that there is a ceasefire which is a temporary reprieve but simply gives Putin the space to come again and that would be the worst of outcomes.
It must be a lasting peace for you, your children and your children’s children, so that you can live as you should be able to live, in a proud, safe and sovereign Ukraine; able to make sovereign decisions as a country about the alliance that Ukrainians want to make; the partnerships that Ukrainians want to make, and the way of life that Ukrainians want.
So we will not falter in our support.
We will not stop our efforts to end this war.
And we will not rest until the people of Ukraine can live peacefully and safely in their own country.
So thank you for being here; I do hope that I can have the privilege of seeing you here or elsewhere on an occasion where we are not celebrating another anniversary of this conflict but genuinely celebrating freedom and peace for Ukraine and for Europe.
Thank you very much.
Slava Ukraini.
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Keir Starmer – 2025 Comments at a Meeting Convened by President Zelenskyy to Mark Three Years since the Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine
The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 24 February 2025.
Thank you very much – colleagues, let me start with Volodymyr and saying on this day of all days, I want to pay tribute to your leadership Volodymyr. And friends – it’s right that we mark this grim anniversary together. For three years we have been united in opposition to Russia’s barbaric invasion. And for three years we have been full of admiration for the incredible response of the Ukrainian people.
Their voices must be must at the heart of the drive for peace. And I want to be clear – I hear them. I think of the soldiers and civilians that I met in Kyiv just a few weeks ago in the ICU, in the burns unit… The witnesses to the horror of Bucha… The school children I met living under constant bombardment… The soldiers training in the UK, bound for the frontline… Their voices echo in my ears – They inform the decisions I take – and the peace that I believe we must see.
So I have a very simple, clear message today: the UK is with you. Today and every day. From His Majesty the King… To the NHS workers volunteering in hospitals in Ukraine… To the communities that took Ukrainian refugees to their heart. And that’s why I signed our 100-year partnership with President Zelenskyy last month – Because we believe in Ukraine’s fight today, and the country’s incredible potential to thrive in the years to come.
This is a time for unity. In this crucial moment as talks begin – we must work together to shape the outcome.
Russia does not hold all the cards in this war… Because the Ukrainians have the courage to defend their country… Because Russia’s economy is in trouble… And because they have now lost the best of their land forces and their Black Sea Fleet in this pointless invasion. So we must increase the pressure even further to deliver an enduring peace, not just a pause in fighting. We can do that in three ways.
First, by stepping up our military support to Ukraine. The UK is doing that… Providing £4.5bn in military aid this year – more than ever before. We’re doing more than ever to train Ukrainian troops, helping Ukraine to mobilise even further… And we’re proud to have taken on the leadership of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group.
Secondly, we must keep dialling up the economic pressure… To get Putin to a point where he is ready not just to talk, but to make concessions. So today we’re announcing the UK’s largest package of sanctions since the early days of the war… Going after Russia’s shadow fleet… And going after companies in China and elsewhere who are sending military components.
Later today I will be discussing further steps with the G7 – And I am clear that the G7 should be ready to take on more risk – Including on the oil price cap… Sanctioning Russia’s oil giants… And going after the banks that are enabling the evasion of sanctions.Third, we must bring our collective strength to the peace effort.
President Trump has changed the global conversation over the last few weeks. And it has created an opportunity. Now, we must get the fundamentals right.If we want peace to endure, Ukraine must have a seat at the table… And any settlement must be based on a sovereign Ukraine… Backed up with strong security guarantees. The UK is ready and willing to support this with troops on the ground – With other Europeans, and with the right conditions in place.
And ultimately a US backstop will be vital to deter Russia from launching another invasion in just a few years’ time.So we will do everything we can to get the best outcome for Ukraine – and for us all. Let me close with one of those voices I mentioned earlier – A patient called Petro, from the burns unit I visited in Kyiv. He said to me… “If Ukraine fails, Europe will be next.” That is what’s at stake here. That is why we will always stand with Ukraine, and with our allies… Against this aggression… And for a just and lasting peace. Slava Ukraini.
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Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on Oded Lifschitz
The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 20 February 2025.
I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Oded Lifschitz after he was taken hostage by terrorists in Gaza, and I extend my heartfelt condolences to his daughter Sharone and his wife Yocheved.
When I met Sharone in Downing Street, she showed remarkable strength in the face of the most difficult circumstances. The news of her father’s death is a tragedy. It is my hope that the peace he worked to see in the region through his charity work and activism will be achieved.
My thoughts are also with the Bibas family, who have faced immense pain as they awaited news of Shiri and her sons Kfir and Ariel.
We must see all remaining hostages released, and the ceasefire upheld. My government remains committed to working with our international partners to bring an end this suffering and secure a long-term peace in the Middle East.
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Keir Starmer – 2025 Article in the Telegraph on Ukraine
The article in the Daily Telegraph written by Keir Starmer and released by 10 Downing Street as a press release on 17 February 2025.
We are facing a once-in-a-generation moment for the collective security of our continent. This is not only a question about the future of Ukraine – it is existential for Europe as a whole.
Securing a lasting peace in Ukraine that safeguards its sovereignty for the long term is essential if we are to deter Putin from further aggression in the future.
To achieve it, Europe and the United States must continue to work closely together – and I believe the UK can play a unique role in helping to make this happen, just as we did this past week in stepping in to convene and chair the Ukraine Defence Contact Group.
First, Europe must step up further to meet the demands of its own security. So I am heading to Paris with a very clear message for our European friends. We have got to show we are truly serious about our own defence and bearing our own burden. We have talked about it for too long – and president Trump is right to demand that we get on with it.
As European nations, we must increase our defence spending and take on a greater role in Nato. Non-US Nato nations have already increased defence spending by 20 per cent in the past year, but we must go further.
Russia is still waging war and Ukraine is still fighting for its freedom, which is why we must not relent in our efforts to get the kit Ukrainians need for their fighters on the front line. While the fighting continues, we must put Ukraine in the strongest possible position ahead of any talks.
The UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine. This includes further support for Ukraine’s military, where the UK has already committed £3 billion a year until at least 2030. But it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary.
I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way. But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country.
The end of this war, when it comes, cannot merely become a temporary pause before Putin attacks again.
But second, while European nations must step up in this moment – and we will – US support will remain critical and a US security guarantee is essential for a lasting peace, because only the US can deter Putin from attacking again. So I will be meeting president Trump in the coming days and working with him and all our G7 partners to help secure the strong deal we need.
We must be clear that peace cannot come at any cost. Ukraine must be at the table in these negotiations, because anything less would accept Putin’s position that Ukraine is not a real nation.
President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have shown the most extraordinary resilience and made such great sacrifices in the defence of their nation. We cannot have another situation like Afghanistan, where the US negotiated directly with the Taliban and cut out the Afghan government. I feel sure that president Trump will want to avoid this too.
While Nato membership may take time, we should continue to support Ukraine’s irreversible path to joining the alliance.
We should also show greater strength in applying economic pressure. Putin’s economy is feeling the strain – he is worried about his energy revenues and his financial sector.
Working together, the US, Europe and all our G7 allies should seek to go further on the oil price cap, the Shadow Fleet, the sanctioning of oil giants, and going after those banks that are enabling the evasion of sanctions.
These crucial days ahead will determine the future security of our continent. As I will say in Paris, peace comes through strength. But the reverse is also true. Weakness leads to war.
This is the moment for us all to step up, and the UK will do so because it is the right thing to do for the values and freedoms we hold dear, and because it is fundamental to our own national security.
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Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on the Release of Eli Sharabi
The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 8 February 2025.
I shared the relief of so many at Eli Sharabi’s release earlier today but was dismayed to see his frail condition and the circumstances of his release. Having met his relatives I appreciate the deep pain they have endured and my thoughts are with them.
We must continue to see all the hostages freed – these people were ripped away from their lives in the most brutal circumstances and held in appalling conditions. The ceasefire must hold and all efforts need to focus on full implementation of the remaining phases. This includes the return of further hostages, the continued increase of aid into Gaza and securing lasting peace in the Middle East.
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Keir Starmer – 2025 Comments in Brussels
The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, in Brussels on 3 February 2025.
Thank you, Mark – it’s very good to be here.
I should say it’s very good to be back here.
And as you know, the UK’s commitment to NATO is stronger than ever –
Because the need for NATO is clearer than ever.
We’ve had a very good and productive discussion today…
On how we can meet the rising threats that Russia poses across our continent…
Including the situation, of course, in Ukraine.
A couple of weeks ago, as you know, I was in Kyiv…
I saw residential buildings, destroyed just days before.
I met soldiers in the ICU…
Recovering from really terrible burns.
And I met children, whose parents are out there now…
On the frontline.
And, it’s yet another reminder…
That this is a not a war not just in Ukraine…
It’s a war on Ukraine…
Against those children and their future.
That’s why – together –
We stand with them.
We are all working to end this war…
But let’s be absolutely clear –
Peace will come through strength.
And we must do all we can now to support Ukraine’s defence…
And that means stabilising the front line…
Providing the kit and the training they need.
And that’s why, this year…
The UK will give more military support to Ukraine than ever before.
We need to see all allies stepping up – particularly in Europe.
President Trump has threatened more sanctions on Russia…
And it’s clear that that’s got Putin rattled.
We know that he’s worried about the state of the Russian economy.
So I’m here to work with our European partners on keeping up the pressure…
Targeting the energy revenues and the companies supplying his missile factories…
To crush Putin’s war machine.
Because ultimately –
Alongside our military support…
That is what will bring peace closer.
And we must keep working together to bolster NATO.
And as you say, things that would have provoked utter outrage, just a few years ago…
Have now become almost commonplace:
Russian spy ships loitering off the British coast…
A campaign of sabotage across Europe…
Cyber-attacks, election interference, and attempted assassinations.
Russia is seeking to destabilise our continent – target our values.
So we should still be outraged.
And we must harden European’s defence.
In the UK we are proud to be a leading NATO ally…
Part of the Forward Land Forces…
Helping to police our skies and patrol our seas.
Our defence spending is of course 2.3% of GDP now…
And we are working hard work to set the path to 2.5%…
And NATO plans and requirements…
As well as the principle of “NATO First”…
Will be at the heart of our Strategic Defence Review this year.
Across Europe, we must shoulder more of the burden now –
Because it is our burden to carry.
Now that’s what I’ll be discussing at the EU Council this evening.
We want to deliver an ambitious UK-EU Security partnership…
To bolster NATO…
Covering military technology and R&D…
Improving the mobility of forces across Europe…
Protecting our critical infrastructure…
And deepening our industrial collaboration to increase defence production.
We can’t be commentators when it comes to matters of peace on our continent.
We must lead.
And that is what I’m determined to do.
Thank you so much Mark.
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Keir Starmer – 2025 Speech on Holocaust Memorial Day
The speech made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, at the Guildhall in London on 27 January 2025.
Earlier this month, my wife and I were in Block 27 of Auschwitz searching for members of her family in the Book of Names. It was harrowing.
We turned page after page after page just to find the first letter of a name. It gave me an overwhelming sense of the sheer scale of this industrialised murder.
And every one of those names, like the names we were looking for – was an individual person. Someone’s mother, father, brother, sister brutally murdered, simply because they were Jewish.
Last week I met Renee Salt and Arek Hersh who somehow survived but whose loved ones were among those victims. I was humbled by their courage to speak of being in that place. I felt waves of revulsion at the depravity they described, at the cynicism.
People told to bring their belongings like the piles of pots and pans I saw myself. The commandant living next door bringing up his family, the normalisation of murder, like it was just another day’s work.
In Auschwitz, I saw photographs of Nazi guards standing with Jewish prisoners staring at the camera – completely indifferent – and in one case, even smiling. It showed more powerfully than ever how the Holocaust was a collective endeavour by thousands of ordinary individuals utterly consumed by the hatred of difference.
And that is the hatred we stand against today, and it is a collective endeavour for all of us to defeat it.
We start by remembering the six million Jewish victims and by defending the truth against anyone who would deny it. So we will have a National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre to speak this truth for eternity.
But as we remember, we must also act. Because we say never again, but where was never again in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur, or the acts of genocide against Yazidi.
Today, we have to make those words mean more. So we will make Holocaust education a truly national endeavour.
We will ensure all schools teach it and seek to give every young person the opportunity to hear a recorded survivor testimony. Because by learning from survivors like Renee and Arek we can develop that empathy for others and that appreciation of our common humanity, which is the ultimate way to defeat the hatred of difference.
As I left Block 27, I saw the words of Primo Levi. It happened, it can happen again: that is the warning of the Holocaust to all of us.
And it’s why it is a duty for all of us to make “never again” finally mean what it says: Never again.
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Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on Southport
The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 20 January 2025.
Our thoughts are with the families of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar – and the families of everyone affected – who will be saved the ordeal of a protracted trial.
The news that the vile and sick Southport killer will be convicted is welcome.
It is also a moment of trauma for the nation and there are grave questions to answer as to how the state failed in its ultimate duty to protect these young girls.
Britain will rightly demand answers. And we will leave no stone unturned in that pursuit.
At the centre of this horrific event, there is still a family and community grief that is raw; a pain that not even justice can ever truly heal.
Although no words today can ever truly convey the depths of that pain, I want the families to know that our thoughts are with them and everyone in Southport affected by this barbaric crime. The whole nation grieves with them.