Prime Minister travels to Washington with Ukraine leader having advised him on how to massage US president’s ego while making political case

Sir Keir Starmer embraces Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, the day before Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Alaska Credit: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images

Ben Riley-Smith Political Editor

17 August 2025

It is hard to overplay the sense of despondency and sheer dread felt by Downing Street insiders as they watched Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky trade barbs in the Oval Office.

Just 24 hours earlier, on Feb 27, Sir Keir Starmer had pulled off what the media and Labour loyalists alike saw as a diplomatic triumph in his first meeting with the US president.

Weeks of preparation had been invested in how the Prime Minister handled that moment, how to strike the balance of massaging Mr Trump’s ego while landing the critical UK talking points.

The result was delight from the US president at a state visit invitation, support for Sir Keir’s deal to give away the Chagos Islands and warm words on a trade deal from the world’s most powerful man.

How differently Mr Zelensky’s meeting went the next day, when he was harangued by JD Vance, the US vice-president, for not saying thank you to America, as Ukraine’s allies looked on, horrified.

The contrast between those two meetings – and the way the spiralling row in the latter undercut the progress made on Ukraine in the former – left Sir Keir and his team kicking themselves.

Why had they not done more to prepare the Ukraine president as they had their own Prime Minister? Senior No 10 figures have since told The Telegraph they felt they dropped the ball.

As a result, a new approach is being taken by London and other European capitals – one that comes to fruition on Monday when Mr Zelensky travels to Washington not alone but alongside his allies.

A similar trip had almost happened within days of the Oval Office skirmish as Sir Keir, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, and others tried to repair the damage done.

But those attempts to get Mr Zelensky back to the White House with European leaders in tow ultimately did not come to fruition.

The Prime Minister ended up doing something else to project a similar message: Hugging Mr Zelensky outside the black No 10 front door in an image that showed he was standing by Kyiv’s side.

Since then, behind the scenes, there has been a deliberate attempt from British ministers and officials to teach the Ukrainian leader how to “speak Trump”.

It is notable that now Mr Zelensky often begins conversations with American counterparts with a word of thanks for all the US support in countering Russia – a nod to what Mr Vance had demanded.

Jonathan Powell, Sir Tony Blair’s former chief of staff, who, as Sir Keir’s national security adviser, is one of the most influential figures in British foreign policy, has worked closely with the Ukrainians on ways they can best achieve their goals with a Maga White House.

Sir Keir’s inner circle believe – with some evidence to back up their case – that they have sussed out the best strategy for trying to influence Mr Trump from the outside.

The touchstones are: Do not bite on every provocative statement he makes; Do not publicly try to bounce the US president into a corner (for fear of a backlash by pricking his ego).

Instead, heap as much praise on Mr Trump in public as is possible and use your influence behind the scenes to nudge him into a position that best suits your national interests.

It is notable how Sir Keir’s statement after Mr Trump’s Alaskan huddle with Vladimir Putin was not one of condemnation but praise at the White House’s attempt to secure peace.

“President Trump’s efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine,” read the first line of the Starmer statement issued on Saturday.

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Meanwhile, European allies have clearly reached a similar conclusion to the Prime Minister – that the best chance of avoiding another White House clash on Monday is to be there themselves alongside Mr Zelensky.

As well as Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, and Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, and others will all be in Washington.

Mr Rutte, who bent the knee so far at this summer’s Nato summit that he ended up referring to Mr Trump as “daddy”, but in turn won praise for the military alliance at a precarious moment, is evidently following a similar strategy to Sir Keir.

But the decision to fly to Washington is also a sign of concern. Getting Europe’s most prominent political leaders to rip up their August plans and to rally together, spending many hours of travelling time away from their homes, underscores the sense of uncertainty and fear.

Two former British ambassadors to Washington told The Telegraph the scramble for the White House shows they know how important it is to unpick Putin’s spin.

Lord Darroch, who was ambassador during Mr Trump’s first term, said: “This rapidly assembled, highest-level European delegation accompanying Zelensky to Washington is a sign of profound concern about two aspects of the outcome of the Alaska summit.

“First, the news that President Trump now thinks a comprehensive peace deal should precede a ceasefire. And second, the suggestions that the way to peace could involve Ukraine surrendering still further territory in the Donbas.”

Trump was ‘rolled over’ in Alaska

Sir Peter Westmacott, Britain’s man in Washington during Barack Obama’s tenure, said: “It indicates to me that the more they look at what happened in Alaska, the more they realise that it went badly wrong and that Trump has been rolled over.

“Putin has given nothing and gone home feeling very pleased with himself. So whatever he has talked Trump into believing about Zelensky’s responsibility for the conflict, or Russia’s right to reconquer its former subjects in eastern Europe, is going to require some pretty robust pushback.

“The president really needs to have a better solution than just thanking Putin for agreeing that he won the election he lost in 2020 and giving up all his threats to sanction Russia simply because Putin says he doesn’t want a ceasefire.”

Sunday’s press conference between Mr Zelensky and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, revealed many of the points the Euro contingent will be pressing on Monday.

One, pushing back on the idea of handing over all of Donbas to Putin. Two, demanding an end to Russia’s attacks before proper talks. Three, meaningful security guarantees for Ukraine after peace, backed up by the US.

There will also be a call for Mr Zelensky, Mr Putin and Mr Trump to get together to negotiate territorial changes – a position Moscow is expected to reject, thereby helping frame Putin, not Mr Zelensky, as the blocker to peace.

The Prime Minister travels out on Monday. Sir Keir’s team believes he understands how to “speak Trump”. Being there in person is another attempt to help Mr Zelensky to do likewise, boosting Ukraine’s cause in the process.

Whether the US president hears what he wants is another matter.