Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that Ukraine must be allowed to decide the terms of any peace deal with Russia, in a challenge to proposals by Donald Trump. The Prime Minister contradicted Mr Trump by adding that “courageous” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not to blame for the failure to strike an agreement ending the war.

The U.S. proposal would freeze territory along the current front lines of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which Ukraine has rejected.

Imposing a deadline on a negotiation for a deal you desperately want is a risky tactic if your only move is to walk away from a deal you desperately want.