Lammy and Vance host national security advisers ahead of Trump-Putin summit

Saturday 09 August 2025 1:35 pm
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Saturday 09 August 2025 1:36 pm

The Overseas Secretary will host a gathering of allied nationwide safety advisers on Saturday as Donald Trump pushes for a peace deal in Ukraine.

Downing Road introduced that the assembly at David Lammy’s official nation retreat, Chevening, would carry collectively advisers from the US, Europe and Ukraine to “focus on progress in the direction of securing a simply and lasting peace”.

It’s understood the assembly was organized on the request of the US and might be co-hosted by American vice-president JD Vance, who’s staying in Kent at Chevening firstly of his UK vacation.

It comes after Mr Trump introduced that he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15 to debate ending the conflict in Ukraine.

The US president had earlier urged that any peace deal was more likely to contain “some swapping of territories”, with studies suggesting this might contain Ukraine giving up its Donetsk area.

He had beforehand threatened to impose extra stringent tariffs on Russia if Mr Putin didn’t comply with a ceasefire by Friday.

However Mr Zelensky has already rejected any proposal that will compromise Ukraine’s territorial integrity, saying Kyiv “won’t give Russia any awards for what it has performed” and that “Ukrainians won’t give their land to the occupier”.

Ukraine’s structure forbids making a gift of territory.

Mr Zelensky additionally warned that any peace settlement that excluded Ukraine would result in “useless options”.

Forward of the assembly at Chevening, Sir Keir Starmer mentioned the talks in a name with Mr Zelensky on Saturday morning.

A Downing Road spokesperson mentioned: “Each leaders welcomed President Trump’s want to carry this barbaric conflict to an finish and agreed that we should sustain the strain on Putin to finish his unlawful conflict.

“The Prime Minister ended the decision by reiterating his unwavering help for Ukraine and its individuals.”

Mr Lammy held formal talks with Mr Vance at Chevening on Friday, throughout which they have been anticipated to debate the conflict in Ukraine.

By Christopher McKeon, PA Political Correspondent