Downing Street issued a short readout on Sunday 23 November confirming that the Prime Minister spoke to President Donald Trump. The call focused on high‑level discussions in Geneva on the US peace plan for Ukraine, with both leaders agreeing to work for a just and lasting peace and to remain in contact.
As the readout was released, Ukrainian and European officials were meeting in Geneva ahead of talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the proposal. Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff Andrii Yermak said his team had met national security advisers from the UK, France and Germany and would next meet the US delegation.
London’s stated position frames the UK’s engagement: no talks on Ukraine without Ukraine; continued military support alongside tighter pressure on Russia; and any agreement must deliver credible security for Kyiv. These principles were set out in the Prime Minister’s chair’s statement on 2 March and reiterated in subsequent updates and statements at the OSCE.
The US plan has drawn concern among European allies about the extent of concessions sought from Kyiv. President Trump has said the document is not a final offer ahead of the Geneva round, while participants described the latest sessions as productive, working through items point by point.
For the UK, today’s call signals continued leader‑level stewardship of the process while officials test the US paper against the Government’s four criteria: sustained military backing to Ukraine; Ukraine’s participation in any negotiations; robust security arrangements alongside any deal; and preparation of a coalition capable of enforcing an agreement.
Should talks advance, implementation would require work on sanctions enforcement, monitoring and post‑conflict defence support-areas the Government has already said it is ready to intensify. Downing Street has also set out plans for a ‘coalition of the willing’ with military planners meeting in the UK to scope how allied forces could help secure any settlement.
Jonathan Powell has served as the Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser since November 2024, coordinating this track for No 10. Reporting from Geneva placed national security advisers from the UK, France and Germany alongside Ukraine’s team during Sunday’s meetings.
Next steps include whether Washington tables revised language and whether Kyiv and European partners streamline a common text to take back to the US. President Emmanuel Macron has previously said the UK, France and Germany would join the negotiations to help secure a joint text reflecting EU interests-Geneva is the first test of that aim.