The moment when Sir Keir Starmer must choose whether to stick with Europe or twist to Donald Trump has just got closer.

Major European powers such as France and Germany expect the Prime Minister to rally to them after Mr Trump began negotiations with Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, was conspicuously absent from the phone call with the once-pariah Russian leader. It is painfully clear that an appalled Europe cannot expect a seat at the negotiating top table either.

“Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations,” a joint statement from Britain, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain and the European Commission said.

But as far as Mr Trump is concerned, Europe’s role in a new era of strongman diplomacy is to do what it is told. The European Union is, at best, a distant afterthought in the US president’s calculations. Saudi Arabia, or even China, looks more likely to play some role in the peace talks.

Joe Biden saw Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, as his hotline to Europe.

Mr Trump sees his primary interlocutor as Nato, which has always been dominated by Washington. It is now clear that he has ignored the months of entreaties from his allies over Ukraine. Instead, he wants European soldiers, including British troops, to police the frozen conflict in Ukraine.