UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain must help secure a "just and lasting peace" for Ukraine as he travelled to Washington for talks expected to include U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Speaking to reporters on board his flight, Starmer stressed that the war has "impacted every single family and community in the United Kingdom" and that ending the conflict is therefore firmly in the UK’s national interest. Starmer’s office reiterated that Kyiv is on an "irreversible path" to NATO membership, underscoring London’s long-standing support for Ukraine’s accession. The position sets him apart from Trump, who has argued publicly that Ukraine should forego joining the alliance as part of any peace deal with Moscow. British officials say Starmer will use meetings in Washington to encourage all parties to flesh out "ironclad" security guarantees for Kyiv while avoiding a repeat of February’s tense Oval Office encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy. French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders are expected to back the effort, having previously praised Zelenskyy’s commitment to a lasting settlement.