UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in the White House for talks with Donald Trump on Ukraine and defence – 

Before the meeting, Starmer hands Trump a letter from King Charles, inviting the president for a UK state visit – Trump accepts

Trump says Starmer is “a special man – and the United Kingdom is a wonderful country that I know very well, I’m there a lot”

Earlier, a US official said Trump was “very pleased” with Starmer’s announcement this week that the UK will boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, from 2.3%

On Friday, Ukraine’s President Zelensky will arrive at the White House to sign what Trump calls a “very big agreement” on minerals

Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer are currently speaking to media in the Oval Office ahead of their meetings.

The US president said: “It’s a great honour to have Prime Minister Starmer at the Oval Office.

“It’s a very special place, and he’s a special man – and the United Kingdom is a wonderful country that I know very well, I’m there a lot.”

Trump is now asked about negotiations over peace in Ukraine.

He tells reporters “we are well advanced on a peace deal” and says “good talks” have been held with Russia and Ukraine, adding Russia has been acting “very well”.

He also says a deal must be agreed before having peacekeeping forces in Ukraine after Starmer said earlier this month that he was ready to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine if a peace deal is reached.

“Putting security into Ukraine is the easy part, the deal is the hard part,” Trump adds.

On the rare earths deal set to be signed with Volodymyr Zelenskyy tomorrow, Trump says the deal will be a backstop for Ukraine.

Before meeting the US president today, Starmer said only a US backstop can secure lasting peace in Ukraine.