Asked by a reporter is he still thought that Zelensky was a dictator after making the claim against the Ukrainian leader, a seemingly dumbfounded Donald Trump replied: 'Did I say that?"

Donald Trump claims he can't remember calling Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator as he greeted Keir Starmer to the White House.

Asked by a reporter is he still thought that Zelensky was a dictator after making the claim against the Ukrainian leader, a seemingly dumbfounded Trump replied: 'Did I say that?"

He has been with Sir Keir Starmer in the Oval Office, and he said his "number one" aim is to stop the fighting because "thousands of soldiers" have been lost. The prime minister said he will be discussing with Trump how to ensure that any peace deal struck between Russia and Ukraine is not violated by Russia. Trump also said he thinks Putin will keep his word, and added: "I have confidence that if we make a deal, it will hold."

Speaking in the Oval Office, just across from Sir Keir Starmer, Vance said "we have a special relationship with the UK and our European friends, but there have been infringements on free speech".

It comes as the two sat and posed for questions inside the West Wing. Mr Trump has said the planned deal with Volodymyr Zelensky on minerals would effectively be a security “backstop”. The US President said: “President Zelensky is coming to see me on Friday morning. And we’re going be signing really a very important agreement for both sides because it’s really going to get us into that country, working there.” He added it was” a backstop, you could say”.

On his arrival as the pair sat down, Mr Trump 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.

“I’ll be going there and we expect to see each other in the near future – we’ll be announcing it. We’re going to be discussing many things today, we’re going to be discussing Russia/Ukraine, we’ll be discussing trade and lots of other items, and I think we can say we are going to be getting along on every one of them.

“We’ve had a tremendous relationship and, frankly, the Prime Minister and I have met twice before, and we get along very famously, as you would say, and I look forward to it very much. We look forward to the day and the meeting, and we’ll be having a luncheon after this, and then another work session, and I believe we’re going to have a press conference at the end – so I look forward to it and, Mr Prime Minister, thank you very much.”

As the pair met, the Prime Minister said: “Thank you, Mr President. Can I say thank you for your hospitality, for your leadership. We have met a number of times, we talked a number of times, and we have had a very constructive conversation. I’m sure we will today. Of course, our countries have been bound together for a very long time now, the closest alliance I think of any two countries when it comes to prosperity and security, and I know that together, we will strengthen that even further.

“And on issues like Ukraine, thank you for changing the conversation to bring about the possibility that now we can have a peace deal, and we want to work with you to make sure that peace deal is enduring, that it lasts, that it’s a deal that goes down as a historic deal that nobody breaches, and we will work with you to make sure that that absolutely happens.”

He added: "It is my pleasure to bring from His Majesty the King a letter inciting you to a state reception", to which Mr Trump said "Have I got to read it right now", to raucous laughter from reporters and aides." The letter from the King to Donald Trump continued by saying Charles wanted to discuss details of a second state visit with the US President, and stressed this would be unprecedented

Mr Trump showed the letter to cameras gathered in the White House, which read: “Quite apart from this presenting an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, it would also offer a valuable chance to plan a historic second state visit to the United Kingdom.

“As you will know this is unprecedented by a US President. That is why I would find it helpful for us to be able to discuss, together, a range of options for location and programme content. In so doing, working together, I know we will further enhance the special relationship between our two countries of which we are both so proud.” In the King’s hand, the letter was signed: “Yours Most Sincerely, Charles.”