UK hoping three-part Ukraine peace plan can get 'back on track' at London summit - as Italian PM arrives

Giorgia Meloni arrives in Downing Street

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has just arrived at Downing Street for a bilateral meeting with Sir Keir Starmer.

Meloni was greeted warmly by Starmer at the door to No 10, before the two leaders posed for pictures and headed inside for talks.

Inside No 10, Starmer and Meloni sat down for a fireside chat.

Starmer said he was "very much looking forward to having the opportunity to talk to you about the important issues that face us".

He added: "We have a very similar mindset, so I'm very much looking forward to hearing your view about these matters."

Meloni thanked Starmer for convening today's summit.

"I think it is very, very important that we avoid the risk that the West divides. I think on this, the UK and Italy can play an important role in bridge building."

She adds that if the West divides, it will "make us all weaker".

Ceasefire plan can get 'back on track', government source tells Sky News

The plan for peace in Ukraine can get "back on track" at today's international summit, government sources have told our political editor Beth Rigby.

However, the source admitted there will be "more ups and downs" ahead.

"We must keep our eyes on the prize."

The insider added the government was "working yesterday to get [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy to get back to the table".

The minerals deal with the US was thrown into question on Friday, when Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump publicly clashed in the Oval Office.

The source said: "We think it's the right thing to do. 

"Today is about getting European leaders to go beyond the Twitter rhetoric and step up on defence spending. 

"Prepare now for a world with no US security guarantee for Europe not just in Ukraine."

Meloni due to arrive at No 10 shortly

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is due to arrive at Downing Street at 11.15am, ahead of a bilateral meeting with Sir Keir Starmer.

Afterwards, both leaders will head to Lancaster House in central London, where the UK is hosting an international summit on defence.

They will be joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and leaders from countries including Germany, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Canada, Finland and Romania.

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte and Turkey's foreign minister Hakan Fidan will also attend.

Hard power is the world's real currency once again - talking tough on defence won't be enough

Remarkable – and relatively speaking a blessing – that the wake-up call for Britain to take defence seriously again did not come in the form of a military attack on UK soil, but instead was triggered by the verbal assault of Ukraine's wartime leader by a sitting US president.

The lack of any physical destruction on British streets, though, should fool no one in government or wider society that the framework of security that has protected the country and its allies since the end of the Second World War is not at best cracked and at worst shattered.

Instead, check out one of the latest posts by Elon Musk, Donald Trump's "disrupter-in-chief".

He used his social media site X to say "I agree" with a call for the United States to leave NATO - a transatlantic alliance, and the bedrock of European security, that the new administration had until now continued to back at least in public.

It is yet another example of escalating hostility from the new Trump White House - which has sided with Russia against Ukraine, lashed out at its European partners over their values, and even suggested absorbing Canada as the 51st American state.

Badenoch: 'Heart went out' to Zelenskyy after Oval Office spat

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said her "heart went out" to Volodymyr Zelenskyy following his clash with Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

Speaking to the BBC, she said: "Honestly, my heart went out to President Zelenskyy. I watched it and I couldn't believe what was happening, he was being humiliated.

"I don't think we should conduct these sorts of difficult conversations in front of the cameras and we have to remember that President Zelenskyy is a hero, he is the person who represents that strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people."

She added: "I don't think it was an ambush, I think that both parties are working for their respective national interest, and they seem to be speaking at cross-purposes.

"I think sometimes having English as a second language is not necessarily helpful. During all the trade negotiations I had as trade secretary, most of the eastern European countries had an interpreter there."

Ahead of the European leaders' summit, she said: "If we don't have an American security guarantee within NATO, if we lose them, we're going to be spending a hell of a lot more (on defence).

"We need to make sure that America does not disengage, it is in their interest for peace now, if we all get dragged into an escalation, America will get dragged into it eventually."

Starmer doesn't want to poke the bear over Zelenskyy-Trump clash

She notes that the prime minister has been "setting up the day" this morning, reiterating that the UK wants to act as a "bridge" between the US and Europe.

"In terms of the substance of what he said, the thing that was significant was he said that the UK, having had discussions with President Macron of France, President Trump and President Zelenskyy, that the UK and France and others are all going to work with Ukraine to put together a ceasefire plan which they are then going to take to the US," Beth says.

She adds: "Obviously people watched the White House situation on Friday night in astonishment, it was totally bewildering seeing a wartime leader treated in that way by the country that is supposed to be the closest ally of the UK and a supporter of Europe.

"Starmer was asked about his response to that, and he said he felt uncomfortable, nobody wants to see that. He kept going back to that line, and he wouldn't go further than that.

"The reason being he just doesn't want to poke the bear. 

"He has had meticulous planning going into his meeting with Trump on Thursday, he understands that he wants to do it behind closed doors and he is just not prepared to provoke Trump."

Patel condemns 'undignified spectacle' between Zelenskyy and Trump

Now joining Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips is shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel.

Asked about the scenes at the Oval Office on Friday - when Donald Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy - Patel says she was "aghast".

She says she thought the "whole spectacle was unedifying and undignified".

"When we look at President Zelenskyy in particular, I think he's a hero - he's an absolute hero in the way that he's stood up to authoritarianism, he's fighting for the sovereignty of his country."

Patel adds that we "don't want a divided West".

"I'm afraid that Russia, Putin, the aggressor will be watching this and literally I think just kind of thinking 'Yes, let them carry on rowing'.

"We don't want that. I think we need to move on, draw a line in the sand from what happened on Friday. 

"All credit to our government right now providing strength and leadership and trying to find solutions."

She adds: "I just don't think we need to be airing our conflicts in public."

Starmer: Oval Office clash made me uncomfortable - but focus is on three-part peace plan

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has this morning the clash in the Oval Office between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy made him feel "uncomfortable" - but he decided to "roll up my sleeves" rather than "ramp up the rhetoric" in response.

"Yes, I felt uncomfortable. Nobody wants to see that," he told the BBC.

The prime minister added: "The important thing is how to react to that. There are a number of different routes people could go down. One is to ramp up the rhetoric as to how outraged we all are or not.

"The other is to do what I did, which is roll up my sleeves, pick up the phone, talk to President Trump, talk to President Zelenskyy, then invite President Zelenskyy for an extensive meeting yesterday, a warm welcome, and then further pick up the phone to President Macron and President Trump afterwards.

"Because my reaction was we have to bridge this. We have to find a way that we can all work together. Because, in the end, we’ve had three years of bloody conflict. Now we need to get to that lasting peace."

Of Donald Trump, Starmer added: "I am clear in my mind that he does want a lasting peace."

PM working on peace plan in three parts - which needs US

Starmer says his conversations with Zelenskyy, Trump and Macron led to an agreement that the UK - along with France and "possibly one or two others" - will work with Ukraine on a "plan to stop the fighting and then we'll discuss that plan with the United States".

"I think we've got a step in the right direction", he says.

He added: "For me, the components of a lasting peace are a strong Ukraine to fight on, if necessary, to be in a position of strength; to negotiate a European element to security guarantees, and that’s why I’ve been forward-leaning on this about what we would do; and a US backstop.

"That’s the package, all three parts need to be in place, and that’s what I’m working hard to bring together."

Could Zelenskyy's King meeting be a provocation for Trump?

Nick Thomas-Symonds is now asked about the international defence summit being held in London today.

What is the UK hoping to achieve?

"There are a number of different European countries around the table, the prime minister will be speaking to other European countries as well," he tells Trevor Phillips.

"But what we are doing today is making clear that Europe does now step up.

"Yes, there does need to be significantly increased defence spending - that's why we have done that - action, not words over the past week.

"But it is also... speaking now about how we can get that permanent peace in Ukraine which is vital."

Thomas-Symonds is asked about Zelenskyy's planned meeting with the King, and whether this is a subtle sign that the UK would side with Ukraine over the US.

Today's meeting means that Zelenskyy will have met the King before Donald Trump.

He says: "No, I think it's an indication that the United Kingdom and the prime minister is playing a hugely important diplomatic role as an honest broker."

Trevor presses on the symbolism of Zelenskyy meeting the King.

Could this be seen as a provocation?

"I think it's up to the White House how they see the diplomacy of the moment. The prime minister is in regular contact with President Trump."

'I do believe we can trust the Americans'

Joining Trevor Phillips on Sky News this morning is Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister for European Union relations - and Paymaster General.

He begins by hailing the leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, praising his "bravery" throughout three years of war with Russia.

"What you are seeing today in London is a meeting of European leaders, where the prime minister... will be discussing with European leaders firstly putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position now," he says.

Trevor asks about reports that the White House is considering stopping aid to Ukraine - what would the UK say to this?

He says the government's position is "peace through strength".

"It is about putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table."

Asked if he believes we can trust the Americans, Thomas-Symonds says: "Yes, I do believe we can trust the Americans."

Thomas-Symonds says they are "long standing" allies, and the UK has a key role as a "bridge across the Atlantic".

"We do have an ally in the United States that we can trust. There's no ambiguity about that."

Turning to the scenes at the Oval Office on Friday, in which Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy clashed, Thomas-Symonds says he has "never seen anything quite like that".

"Obviously that is not how it should have happened."

Starmer calls on leaders to unite ahead of European security summit

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged his "unwavering support" for Ukraine, adding that "we are at a turning point" in the war, ahead of a crucial meeting with world leaders today.

The prime minister welcomed Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Downing Street on Saturday, where they signed a new loan deal for Ukraine following the Ukrainian president's disastrous meeting with Donald Trump at the Oval Office on Friday.

Today, Starmer and Zelenskyy will be joined by dozens of leaders in London for the summit on Ukraine and security.

Starmer will start the day by speaking to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, before they are joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and leaders from countries including Germany, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Canada, Finland and Romania.

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte and Turkey's foreign minister Hakan Fidan will also attend.

While America is the driving force behind brokering a peace deal with Russia, Starmer wants Europe to be ready to lead peacekeeping efforts should a deal be struck.

Starmer responds to Dodds resignation

Downing Street has published the prime minister's response to his development minister resigning.

Anneliese Dodds stood down this morning over the government's cuts to international aid, with money being spent instead on defence.

In his response, Sir Keir Starmer said that aid "was important" and that he was "proud of what we have done".

He added: "The UK will still be providing significant humanitarian and development support, and we will continue to protect vital programmes – including in the world's worst conflict zones of Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. 

"The decision I have taken on the impact on [aid] was a difficult and painful decision and not one I take lightly. 

"We will do everything we can to return to a world where that is not the case and to rebuild a capability on development. 

"However, protecting our national security must always be the first duty of any government and I will always act in the best interests of the British people."

The PM went on to congratulate Dodds for her work as aid minister, and also on equality, before sending her his "best wishes".

France looking at allowing migrant boats to be stopped in the sea

One of the most contentious parts of the attempts to stop small boats crossing the Channel has been the inability for vessels to be stopped as they leave France.

Blocking rivers previously denied boats the chance to board upstream and head towards the UK.

But the newest tactic is for "taxi boats" to loiter near the beaches of northern France and pick up migrants.

As they remain in the water, French authorities are unable to stop them - they can only start rescue missions if the vessels get into trouble.

But this may be about to change.

Speaking in a joint news conference alongside Home Secretary Yvette Cooper yesterday, her French counterpart Bruno Ratailleau said he wanted to change the law.

He said: "In any case, within 300 metres, in the coastal strip, in the maritime strip close to the coast, we need to review our organisation so that we can board these boats, if I dare say, when the taxi boats arrive to pick up migrants."

At the same time, Cooper and Ratailleau announced an extension of the UK-France deal to stop illegal migration.

This includes new specialist intelligence and judicial police based in Dunkirk, new enforcement officers and new drone pilots.

PM wants Ukraine peace deal that will 'stick'

Sir Keir Starmer is set to meet leaders from across Europe on Sunday for talks about peace in Ukraine.

This includes Volodymyr Zelenskyy and France's Emmanuel Macron.

Starmer has spoken about his willingness to deploy troops to Ukraine in a peacekeeping capacity - although only with a security "backstop" from the US.

No such guarantee was forthcoming during the PM's trip to Washington.

A Downing Street spokesman said on Friday: "The UK has made it clear that we'll play our full part in ensuring a just and lasting peace deal on Ukraine's terms, backed up by strong security guarantees.

"Just this week we demonstrated our commitment to that confirming we'll increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2027. But that peace deal has to come first and as you know the prime minister will meet President Zelensky before convening European leaders in London on Sunday to continue those discussions.

"The deal has to come first, but our teams are going to be talking about how we make sure that deal sticks and is lasting and enforced."

Rayner 'really sorry' to hear of Dodds resignation

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was speaking at a conference today, and spoke to broadcasters afterwards to give her reaction to the resignation of Anneliese Dodds.

She said she was "really sorry" to hear of the departure.

Rayner added that cutting the aid budget to increase defence funding was a "difficult decision", but "absolutely right".

She said it was important the PM had the backing of the whole cabinet for the decision.

The Labour number two went on to say the plan was to increase aid spending again when economic growth increased.

-SKY NEWS