Keir Starmer hugged Volodymyr Zelensky in a show of support at No10, as the world braced for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s crunch talks today over the Ukraine war.

The US President and Russian despot are set to meet at a remote military US base in Alaska, on Friday, with the White House calling for a “peaceful resolution” to the three-year conflict. But with Ukraine excluded from the high stakes talks, there are concerns among European leaders that Kyiv could be sidelined in negotiations over a ceasefire. On Friday, PM Keir Starmer rolled out the red carpet for Ukrainian President Zelensky.

The pair, also seen in No10’s garden, smiled before a private breakfast to discuss Wednesday’s call with EU leaders and Mr Trump. A Downing Street spokesman said: “They agreed there had been a powerful sense of unity and a strong resolve to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine."

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They then looked ahead to the talks between President Trump and President Putin in Alaska, which present a viable chance to make progress as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious about peace. They agreed to stay in close touch in the coming days.”

In a separate statement, Mr Zelensky said: “A good, productive meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. We continue to co-ordinate our positions. On Wednesday, together with all our partners, and today in a bilateral format, we discussed expectations for the meeting in Alaska and possible prospects.”

He added: “We also discussed in considerable detail the security guarantees that can make peace truly durable if the United States succeeds in pressing Russia to stop the killings and engage in genuine, substantive diplomacy. It is important that, within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing [the primarily European effort to provide ongoing support to Ukraine], we should all be able to achieve effective formats for security co-operation.”

Russia’s state-owned news agency TASS said Trump and Putin will first hold talks – around 7.30pm UK time – attended only by the pair and their interpreters. Putin is due to be joined at the summit by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defence Minister Andrey Belousov. Trump and Putin are then expected to give a press conference at the Elmendorf-­Richardson base.

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TASS also reported yesterday that Putin welcomed Trump’s “energetic and sincere efforts” to stop the conflict. But Trump has warned there will be “very severe consequences” for Putin if he refuses to stop the bloodshed. He told reporters this week: “If I do not get the necessary answers during the meeting with Putin, there will be no next meeting.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Trump will “try to bring this war to a peaceful resolution”. She added: “What comes after that meeting is up to President Trump. There are sanctions and many other measures.”

The UK could also act to ramp up the pressure on Putin and his regime. This week Mr Starmer said: “It is important to remind colleagues that we do stand ready also to increase pressure on Russia, particularly the economy, with sanctions and wider measures as may be necessary.”

On Wednesday, he co-chaired a virtual meeting of the Coalition of the Willing and said there is a viable chance of a truce.