Starmer, Zelenskyy Support Trump's Russia Peace Deadline

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have expressed support for US President Donald Trump's August 8 deadline for Russia to make meaningful progress toward ending the war in Ukraine. The leaders agreed that Russia is the primary obstacle to peace, emphasizing the need to stop Russia's stalling tactics and push for a ceasefire and durable peace deal. In their recent conversations, Starmer conveyed condolences over a recent deadly missile and drone strike in Kyiv that killed 31 people, including five children, underscoring the human cost of the conflict. Zelenskyy highlighted that Russia fears the continuing sanctions, which are effective and will be increased, as coordinated by Ukraine, the UK, the US, and other allies. Both leaders discussed boosting Ukraine's drone production, particularly interceptor drones, and the importance of diplomatic coordination with American partners, including Trump, for potential peace negotiations at the leadership level. While Ukraine has proposed a high-level summit involving Trump and Turkish President Erdoğan, Russia has yet to agree to such talks, insisting that a leaders’ summit should be the final step in negotiations.