Keir Starmer joined the leaders of France, Germany, and Poland in a phone call with Donald Trump so they could begin “closely aligning” a response to Russia, while meeting at a major European defence summit.
The prime minister, Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and Donald Tusk held a call with the US president to discuss “developments” in the negotiations on Friday.
Speaking to reporters in Tirana, the Starmer said: “We just had a meeting with President Zelenskyy and then a phone call with President Trump to discuss the developments in the negotiations today.
“And the Russian position is clearly unacceptable, and not for the first time.
‘This is clear evidence Putin doesn’t seriously want peace’
“So as a result of that meeting with President Zelensky and that call with President Trump, we are now closely aligning our responses and will continue to do so.”
More than 40 leaders met in the Albanian capital of Tirana for talks, which focused on intensifying sanctions on Russia if the Kremlin does not agree to a ceasefire, with Russian energy likely to be a target.
Leaders in the US and Europe have been pressuring Russia to come to the negotiating table in recent weeks and have been threatening more sanctions if no action is taken.
The summit comes as Ukrainian and Russian negotiators meet face-to-face for the first time in Istanbul.
But hopes for a breakthrough are low after Putin failed to meet Zelenskyy face-to-face for peace talks in Turkey on Thursday.
Putin instead sent a Russian delegation that Zelenskyy said does not include “anyone who actually makes decisions”.
Speaking to reporters outside the summit in Tirana, Sir Keir said the low-level Russian delegation sent to Turkey was “more evidence that Putin is not serious about peace, he’s been dragging his heels.”
In Tirana, Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte told reporters that Ukraine would be “number one on the agenda” for the summit, adding that Mr Putin had made “a big mistake” by sending a low-level delegation to Istanbul.
Zelenskyy will join Starmer and leaders from Sweden, France, Germany and others.
Starmer added: “Today is a really important opportunity to work with colleagues to make sure that we are absolutely united and President Zelenskyy will be here today so we will be discussing the situation with him.”
Earlier, he said that people in Ukraine and across the world “have paid the price” for the Russian president’s “aggression in Ukraine and across Europe, now he must pay the price for avoiding peace”.
“Putin’s tactics to dither and delay, while continuing to kill and cause bloodshed across Ukraine, is intolerable,” he added.
Last week, the UK announced a fresh wave of sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow fleet of vessels carrying cargo in defiance of existing restrictions on oil and gas exports.
While at the summit in Tirana, the leaders were treated to a bizarre AI video of each of them as a baby greeting the crowd.
The leaders at the summit were treated to an AI video showing them all as smiling babies
As well as discussing support for Ukraine, leaders in Tirana are likely to focus on wider European defence issues and migration.
Starmer himself is expected to hold meetings with some of his European counterparts on the margins of the summit as he prepares for a meeting with the EU in London on Monday.
Reports suggest a deal on British access to a major EU defence fund could be on the table on Monday, but arguments over fishing rights and a youth mobility scheme may provide stumbling blocks to an agreement.
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