Washington DC: United States President Donald Trump met United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House on Thursday afternoon (local rime). The meeting came days after French President met Trump at the White House. Notably, European leaders are not impressed with the US President's recent stand on the Russia-Ukraine war. During Trump and Starmer's interaction with the media, the US President put the UK PM in a spot after he asked the latter if his country could fight Russia alone.

"They need help, I’ll always be with the British, okay? I will always be with them but they don’t need help," Trump said.  “You have done very well over the years, haven’t you?" the US President added. 

In response to Trump's question, Starmer said, "Yes we have, I am very proud of our country, and we have also been backing each other up between our two countries. That is why this is the greatest alliance for prosperity and security I think the world has ever seen." When the UK PM finished his reply, Trump suddenly asked, "Could you take on Russia by yourselves?". Everyone in the room started laughing upon hearing this. 

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During his first visit to Washington, Starmer said that his country is ready to put "boots on the ground" to support peace in Ukraine. "I'm working closely with other European leaders on this, and I'm clear that the UK is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal, working together with our allies, because that is the only way that peace will last," Starner said. 

Trump said he thinks progress is being made on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, and that an agreement will "either be fairly soon or it won't be at all." In his opening remarks, Trump said that his plan to sign a rare earth minerals deal with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday is "really going to get us into that country". Trump seemed a bit softer in his views about the Ukrainian President. 

When asked by a reporter about Trump's use of the word "dictator", the US President replied: "Did I say that? I can't believe I would say that." Trump also appeared to have softened his attitude to Zelensky, praising him as "very brave" and saying the pair got on "really well". Trump also noted he trusts Russian President Vladimir Putin to keep his word on any peace agreement they reach. 

Last week, Trump made headlines by calling Zelensky a "dictator", resonating Russian claims about Kyiv's cancelled elections.