US President Donald Trump has said French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer “haven’t done anything” to end the war in Ukraine, ahead of their visits to the White House next week.Trump also said Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has “no cards” in peace negotiations, adding: “I don’t think he’s very important to be in meetings.”Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK, France and other allies have been supplying Kyiv with weapons and other aid.On Monday, European leaders held a crisis summit in Paris on Ukraine – a day before US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, and amid fears that Ukraine and Europe could be excluded from peace negotiations.Despite his criticism of Macron and Starmer, Trump in his interview with Fox News also praised the European leaders. He said he considers Macron to be a “friend”, and called Starmer “a very nice guy”.Macron is expected to visit Washington DC on Monday, while Starmer is expected to visit the White House on Thursday.Earlier this week, Starmer said he is “ready and willing” to put UK troops on the ground in Ukraine to help guarantee its security as part of a peace deal.The BBC has contacted the PM’s office for comment. While European leaders have ruled out negotiating with Russia, they have met regularly to discuss the war in Ukraine.Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US, UK and EU, along with countries including Australia, Canada and Japan, have imposed more than 20,000 sanctions on Russia.Many European nations have also signed agreements to support and provide aid to Ukraine. In January, Starmer signed a “landmark” 100-year pact, telling Zelensky: “We are with you not just today, for this year or the next – but for 100 years – long after this terrible war is over and Ukraine is free and thriving once again.”Meanwhile, Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg said he had “extensive and positive” discussions with Zelensky during their meeting in Kyiv on Thursday.Kellogg went on to praise Zelensky as a “courageous leader” – only days after Trump referred to him as a …
