Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's arrival at the G20 summit in South Africa was marked by an embarrassing stumble, narrowly avoiding a fall just before critical talks on the Ukraine war. The incident occurred on Saturday as he approached a group of business leaders in Johannesburg.
A Precarious Start to High-Stakes Diplomacy
The Prime Minister's trip, intended to solidify support for a US-backed peace initiative, got off to a humiliating start. Sir Keir appeared to trip and lose his footing before quickly regaining his composure and proceeding to shake hands. This is the second such incident this month, following a similar near-fall on the walkway of his plane upon arrival at the COP30 conference in Brazil.
Labour MPs have reportedly questioned the Prime Minister's extensive travel schedule, with one backbencher suggesting he seems more interested in being foreign secretary than PM. His visit to South Africa comes just days before a critical Budget announcement back in the UK.
The Ukraine Peace Plan Takes Centre Stage
Despite the awkward entrance, the core purpose of Sir Keir's attendance is to meet with Ukraine's allies. The discussions, happening 'in the margins' of the summit, will focus on Donald Trump's 28-point peace plan to end the war with Russia.
Washington is pressuring Ukraine to accept the agreement by Thursday. The proposed terms, negotiated by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin representative Kirill Dmitriev, would reportedly force Ukraine to make significant concessions. These include ceding territory to Moscow and reducing the size of its army.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned he faces an impossible choice between losing a key partner and sacrificing national dignity at a perilous moment in his country's history.
International Attendance and Reactions
Sir Keir defended his presence at the summit, insisting it was 'really important' to attend, even as Donald Trump and other leaders are snubbing the global gathering. The US President is not sending any officials, having criticised South Africa's treatment of white farmers.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is also not attending, cautiously welcomed the US proposal. He stated it 'could form the basis of a final peace settlement' but noted it had not been discussed with Russia in a substantive way, likely due to a lack of Ukrainian consent.
Ahead of the talks, Sir Keir condemned Moscow, stating, 'There is only one country around the G20 table that is not calling for a ceasefire'. He highlighted that Russia had launched nearly 1,000 drones and 54 precision-guided missiles in the past week alone, while Ukraine has been ready to negotiate for months.
