Britain and France will work with Ukraine on a plan to end the fighting with Russia, which will later be presented to the US.

This is what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the BBC. 

"The United Kingdom, together with France and possibly one or two other countries, will work with Ukraine on a plan to end the fighting, and then we will discuss that plan with the United States," Starmer said.

On March 2, Starmer is hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders for a summit on the conflict, which has taken on huge significance since the clash between Zelensky and his American counterpart Donald Trump.

The British prime minister said that "nobody wants to see" the scenes of the two leaders' clash at the White House and that "I am adamant that he (Trump) really wants a lasting peace".

The prime minister presents himself as a bridge between the US and Europe and met Trump in Washington on 27 February.

"We need to find a way that we can all work together. Because at the end of the day we had three years of bloody conflict. Now we have to get to that lasting peace. Something is going to happen now that will lead to peace," Starmer stressed. 

"For me, the components of lasting peace are a strong Ukraine that continues to fight, if necessary, to be in a position of strength; to negotiate a European element of security guarantees... and American support. There is a risk that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will come again if given the opportunity to do so...which is why I was so focused on what constitutes a guarantee. How do we defend the line if a line is agreed," he added.

Where that physical border will be is "subject to discussion," Starmer said. | BGNES