Four Takeaways From Keir Starmers Conversations With The New York Times

President Trump’s overture to President Vladimir V.Putin of Russia to end the war in Ukraine has rattled leaders across Europe.

Few have been more transformed than Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain, who was elected last summer on a standard-issue promise to revive his country’s economy and public services.Now, Mr.Starmer finds himself striding the world stage, at a fateful moment for the trans-Atlantic alliance.

In a hectic few weeks, he has led Europe’s response to the peace talks, along with President Emmanuel Macron of France.He has mediated between Mr.

Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.And he is lobbying Mr.

Trump not to leave Europe at the mercy of an aggressive Russia.Here are four takeaways from a series of recent conversations Mr.Starmer held with The New York Times.Europe must help secure any peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia.The prime minister has welcomed Mr.

Trump’s efforts to wind down the war and said last week’s call between Mr.Trump and Mr.

Putin “nudged things on a bit.” But without robust security arrangements, he said, any peace deal would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future incursions.“I don’t trust Putin, and therefore I take everything he says with some degree of caution,” Mr.Starmer said.

“We know what happens if there aren’t security arrangements, which is, he’ll breach the deal in due course, in his own time.”...