Ukraine will be the “number one item” discussed by Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump when they meet at the White House later today, a Cabinet minister said.

Peter Kyle, the Science Secretary, said it is a “really important week” for Ukraine after Emmanuel Macron’s talks with the US president on Monday, Sir Keir’s visit today, and Volodymyr Zelensky’s own trip to Washington DC tomorrow.

Mr Kyle said Sir Keir will be seeking to “establish the special relationship for the era that we are living in”.

He told Sky News: “Ukraine is the number one item. There is a lot that is going to be on the agenda. Of course whenever you come to these sorts of meetings both sides will have different priorities.

“The idea for the first meeting is to build the relationship, is to establish the special relationship for the era that we are living in.

“But Ukraine is of particular pointed importance at this moment in time because we are in the middle of this process where it looks like we will be negotiating a way forward, hopefully, that leads to peace.

“We had president Macron earlier in the week, we have got the Prime Minister now and we have got president Zelensky coming together with Donald Trump later this week. So it is a really important week.”