UK's Starmer gets poll boost as he steps up Ukraine diplomacy

He meets Trump in Washington and hosts talks involving Ukraine's president

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the day of the European leaders' summit to discuss European security and Ukraine, at Lancaster House in London, Britain, Mar 2, 2025. REUTERS/Toby Melville/Pool

The number of Britons who think Prime Minister Keir Starmer is doing a good job has risen as he steps up his role in diplomacy over the war in Ukraine, an opinion poll showed.

Starmer met US President Donald Trump in Washington on Feb 27 and hosted talks involving Ukraine's president and European leaders on Mar 2. He has played up his role as a go-between while also trying to protect Britain from US tariffs.

An Ipsos UK poll for The Times newspaper showed 30 percent of Britons now think Starmer is doing a good job as prime minister, up from 23 percent last month, although 45 percent said he is doing a bad job.

Ipsos carried out its polling online from Mar 4 to 5.

Starmer met Trump in Washington one day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky clashed in the Oval Office with the US president, who has upended US policy on Ukraine.

European leaders agreed at their talks in London last Sunday to draw up a peace plan to present to Washington, and European Union leaders on Thursday backed plans to spend more on defence.

The Ipsos poll showed 44 percent of Britons think government spending on defence should be increased, even if this means extra government borrowing, higher taxes or less money to spend on other public services - a rise from 42 percent in February.

Ipsos interviewed 981 adults aged 18-75 across Britain.