LONDON 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday said the war in Ukraine must end with a "lasting peace," as he travels to Washington with other European leaders for talks with US President Donald Trump.

In a video recorded on a plane bound for the US capital, he said: "This war in Ukraine has been going on a really long time now, three plus years, hugely impacted the Ukrainians who suffered hugely. But it's also impacted Europe."

"It's impacted every single family and community in the United Kingdom, and so everybody wants it to end, not least the Ukrainians, but we've got to get this right. We've got to make sure there is peace, that it is lasting peace, and that it is fair and that it is just, and that's why I'm traveling to Washington with other European leaders to discuss this face to face with President Trump and President Zelenskyy, because it's in everyone's interests. It's in the UK's interests that we get this right," he added.

Keir and five other European leaders will accompany Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington on Monday in what is being described as a major show of unity ahead of peace talks.

The Ukrainian leader is due to arrive in the US following Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.