LONDON

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday insisted that Ukraine must have full control over the terms of any peace agreement with Russia, firmly rejecting US President Donald Trump’s proposals that could see Crimea formally recognized as Russian territory.

In comments that mark a significant divergence from Trump’s approach, Starmer said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people must lead any negotiations to end the conflict, not international powers acting on their behalf.

“We are at an intense stage in the negotiations,” Starmer said during an interview with The Telegraph.

“In the end, I’m always mindful of the fact that it is Ukraine that must decide on those issues. It’s not for other people to decide on behalf of Ukraine. It is for Ukraine to decide. And Russia must come to the table for that unconditional ceasefire.”

Starmer also ruled out supporting any peace deal that involves the formal recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, a key aspect of Trump’s floated settlement.

He emphasized that any such move would breach international law and reward aggression.

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also weighed in, delivering one of his strongest rebukes yet of Trump’s stance on Ukraine.

'Ukraine gets nothing in Trump’s proposals for peace'

Johnson, a close ally of Zelenskyy, said Trump's proposed deal would offer major concessions to Russia while leaving Ukraine with “nothing.”

“Putin indiscriminately butchers more Ukrainian civilians,” Johnson wrote on social media platform X. “And what is his reward under the latest peace proposals?”

He listed what he described as key giveaways under Trump’s plan: Russia keeps the Ukrainian land it has seized, blocks Ukraine from joining NATO, has sanctions lifted, secures a potential economic partnership with the US, and gets time to rebuild its military for future aggression.

“As for Ukraine – what do they get after three years of heroic resistance? Apart from the right to share their natural resources with the United States, they get nothing,” Johnson said. “What is there in this deal that can realistically stop a third Russian invasion? Nothing.”

Johnson called for a “long-term, credible and above all properly funded security guarantee for Ukraine,” to be backed by the UK, the US, and other Western allies.

Trump, in remarks earlier this week, accused Zelenskyy of sabotaging an imminent peace deal and hinted at a willingness to formally recognize Crimea as Russian, a stance that has alarmed many in Europe and beyond.