LONDON 

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has intensified international diplomacy around the ongoing conflict in Gaza, holding high-level talks with the leaders of Australia, the UAE, and New Zealand to build momentum for a ceasefire and a viable two-state solution.

In separate conversations with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and New Zealand Premier Christopher Luxon, he outlined a new framework for peace in the Middle East, stressing the need for meaningful change and humanitarian relief.

During talks with Albanese, the two leaders discussed the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, according to a statement by the UK government.

Starmer "began by setting out the UK’s framework for peace and reiterated his focus on ensuring that recognition was not a gesture but a driver for real change that ensured a viable two-state solution."

He highlighted Britain's role in Jordanian-led air drops and called for the rapid expansion of aid truck convoys to reach vulnerable populations.

"The leaders agreed on the importance of using the international momentum to secure a ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the acceleration of aid, as well as ensuring Hamas did not play a role in a future state," the statement said.

In a separate call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, the prime minister reiterated the UK's commitment to paving a path toward peace.

He stressed the importance of an immediate humanitarian response and outlined Britain’s intention that if significant progress toward long-term peace is not made by September's UN General Assembly, the UK will recognize a Palestinian state.

The two leaders agreed that only a two-state solution -- with a sovereign Palestinian state existing alongside a secure Israel -- offers a path to lasting stability in the region. They committed to remaining in close contact.

Meanwhile, in discussions with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Starmer again emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid and the strategic importance of international alignment on peace efforts.

The leaders also discussed the situation in Ukraine, backing what they described as a clear deadline issued by President Trump for Russia to demonstrate its seriousness about peace. Both reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Starmer said on Wednesday his government would move to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September “unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agrees to a ceasefire, and commits to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.”

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that France would officially recognize a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly in September.

So far, 149 of the UN’s 193 member states have recognized Palestine -- a number that has steadily risen since Israel began its war on Gaza in October 2023.