**Peace Deal for Ukraine Must Happen Quickly, Says Trump**
US President Donald Trump said on February 27 that a peace deal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine will happen quickly or not at all. He made this statement during a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The two leaders met earlier in the day to discuss Western allies’ role in securing a lasting peace in Ukraine. Trump said that steps towards a peace deal were moving along rapidly and that he expected an agreement to be negotiated soon, or not at all. “If it doesn’t happen quickly, it may not happen at all,” he said.
**US Officials Hold Direct Talks with Russia**
Trump has been pushing Ukraine and Russia to quickly negotiate a ceasefire. However, no formal peace talks involving both Kyiv and Moscow have taken place. US officials have held direct talks with Russian delegates in recent days, without Ukraine’s participation.
**Ukraine Gets Minerals Deal, But No Security Guarantees**
The US has reached an agreement on critical mineral revenues with Ukraine that President Volodymyr Zelensky will sign during a visit to the White House on February 28. The minerals deal does not include ongoing security guarantees for Ukraine.
**Starmer Presses Trump for US Backing**
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pressed Trump to pledge US backing for a European-led peacekeeping force that would deter future Russian aggression in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. No commitments were announced following the meeting, though Starmer said he had “a very productive discussion” with Trump.
**Starmer Reiterates UK Support for Ukraine**
Starmer reiterated the UK’s support for Ukraine and its plans to send record amounts of military aid to Kyiv this year. He insisted that a peace deal must be backed by strength and fair to Ukraine. “It can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor …. history must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader,” he said.
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