Prime Minister Keir Starmer is engaged in a delicate diplomatic balancing act, described by insiders as "playing whack-a-mole", as he attempts to keep the United States engaged while addressing European concerns about a proposed Ukraine peace plan.
The Geneva Gambit
As he prepared to depart South Africa for London on Saturday 22 November 2025, the prime minister confirmed he was dispatching national security adviser Jonathan Powell to Geneva for urgent talks. These discussions will involve US officials, European security advisers, and Ukrainian representatives as Europe and Ukraine scramble to reinsert themselves into a peace framework drawn up between Washington and Moscow.
Starmer stated there was "more to do on the plan" in the coming days, with the immediate focus being to make progress in Geneva. This development follows a phone conversation between Starmer and Donald Trump, where both leaders agreed their teams would work together on the US president's proposal in the Swiss city on Sunday.
Walking the Diplomatic Tightrope
The prime minister faces two significant challenges: a potentially manifesto-busting budget and what currently stands as an "unacceptable" Ukrainian peace deal. In his public remarks, Starmer carefully avoided criticising either the proposed agreement or President Trump directly.
One source revealed that the PM aims to act as a bridge between European allies and the US administration. His "whack-a-mole" strategy involves preventing other leaders from publicly declaring the deal unacceptable, fearing such statements would only irritate President Trump and ultimately harm Ukraine's position.
Starmer reiterated Britain's "steadfast support for Ukraine" during a call with President Zelenskyy. The UK and other international leaders have expressed clear concerns about provisions that would limit the size of the Ukrainian army and require territory concessions to Russia.
The Race Against Time
With President Trump's Thursday deadline looming, allies are exploring several options. The primary approach involves attempting to improve the deal while potentially slowing the process to buy more time. Should these efforts fail, officials are considering scenarios where they might need to shore up Ukraine's war efforts without US support.
When questioned about alternatives, Starmer pointed to point five in the 28-point plan, which offers Ukraine security guarantees from the United States. "That fortifies in me the belief that what we're all trying to achieve here is a just and lasting peace will only be just as lasting if there are security guarantees," the prime minister stated.
He emphasised that "matters for Ukraine are always to be determined by Ukraine", acknowledging the sovereign right of the embattled nation to determine its own future. The coming 24 hours are expected to be critical as European nations, Ukraine, and other allies work to reshape the proposed agreement more favorably toward Ukrainian interests.
