BRITISH Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks with United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening, focusing on U.S.-mediated negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva, as well as parallel discussions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme, Downing Street confirmed.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s office said the two leaders reviewed progress in the peace talks aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine, with negotiators from Kyiv and Moscow concluding the first of two scheduled days of discussions in Geneva.
President Trump has reportedly urged Ukraine to move swiftly towards securing an agreement.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that in a separate diplomatic track, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that Tehran and Washington had reached an understanding on “guiding principles” intended to address their long-running nuclear dispute.
However, he cautioned that this development did not signify that a final agreement was imminent.
The Downing Street spokesperson added that Starmer and Trump also discussed the situation in Gaza, where the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of ensuring greater humanitarian access to the territory.
The high-level exchanges underscore the breadth of current geopolitical challenges, spanning efforts to halt the war in Ukraine, prevent nuclear escalation with Iran, and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. - February 18, 2026
