UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Donald Trump on Wednesday to ensure that Western allies “stand together” in supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.

During a phone call with the U.S. president-elect, their second conversation since Trump’s electoral victory in November, Starmer emphasized the importance of unified support for Ukraine, stating that “allies must stand with Ukraine… and ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position.”

A spokesperson for the British Prime Minister’s Office described the discussion as highlighting a “shared desire to strengthen the close and historic relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States.”

Starmer began the call by congratulating Trump on his recent team appointments. Trump responded by “warmly recounting” his recent meeting with Prince William, Prince of Wales, in Paris earlier this month, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

As Trump prepares to take office next month, he has expressed intentions to seek a deal to end the war in Ukraine, though he has also publicly criticized certain Western policies, including the approval of missile supplies to Ukraine for use on Russian soil.

In an interview with The Sun on Tuesday, Starmer expressed hope to revive trade talks with the incoming U.S. administration. These negotiations had stalled two years ago under President Joe Biden. The leaders also expressed mutual anticipation of meeting in person “at the first opportunity.” According to the i newspaper, Starmer may visit the U.S. in early February.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph reported that Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, conducted private meetings with senior members of Trump’s team earlier this month. McSweeney traveled to Florida to meet Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff-designate, who played a pivotal role in managing his re-election campaign. He also held discussions in Washington with Congressman Mike Waltz, Trump’s incoming National Security Adviser.

A senior source in the Prime Minister’s Office described the interactions as “very warm,” adding that “President Trump has a warm approach to the UK. As the year draws to a close, the Starmer team is confident that the UK is well-placed for a strong bilateral relationship with the new president.”

Starmer’s delegation to the U.S., which began on December 2, included Jonathan Powell, former chief of staff to Tony Blair and now Starmer’s national security adviser. Together with McSweeney, Powell engaged in policy discussions on Ukraine, China, and the Middle East, identifying areas of alignment and divergence between the two leaders.

According to The Telegraph, those close to Starmer believe Trump is currently in “listening mode” on Ukraine, carefully evaluating strategies to fulfill his campaign promise of resolving the conflict “on day one” of his presidency.

Russia continues its efforts to secure a strategic naval base in Sudan, which would bolster its presence in Africa and provide a contingency if it loses its naval foothold in Syria following any potential overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. Despite agreements with Moscow on arms and oil products, Sudan’s current authorities have not approved the base due to the ongoing civil war and the complex dynamics of international diplomacy.

An agreement to establish a naval base in Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast was signed in 2019. However, the outbreak of Sudan’s civil war has prevented its official ratification. Initially, Moscow supported the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) through the Wagner Group but later shifted its support to Sudanese government troops. In February 2024, Russian Ambassador Andrei Chernovol announced the indefinite postponement of the naval base project.

Reports from Sudanese intelligence officials and Western diplomatic sources, as cited by Bloomberg, indicate that Russia and Iran are engaged in talks with Sudan’s government regarding military installations in Port Sudan and other regions, including the volatile capital, Khartoum.

Sudan has rejected Russia’s offers of advanced S-400 air defense systems, fearing backlash from Western countries and the United States. Nonetheless, Russia has continued its push to deepen ties with Sudan through a combination of economic and military aid.

In June 2024, Malik Agar, the deputy leader under Sudan’s military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, visited Moscow to negotiate arms deals in exchange for establishing a refueling station on the Red Sea coast. Since then, multiple Russian arms shipments have been reported by Sudanese port officials.

Fuel trade has also resumed. Between April and October 2024, Russia exported 2.8 million barrels of diesel and gasoline to Sudan, making up 47% of Sudan’s total fuel imports. In November, Sudan’s Energy Ministry and Gazprom executives discussed reconstructing oil infrastructure, building pipelines, and constructing a refinery.

Russia is also suspected of providing intelligence support to Sudanese military forces. Commenting on these developments, Justin Lynch, a researcher at Conflict Observatory, stated, “Russia needs a base in the Red Sea and needs to make money from it. Cooperation with the military is a strategic move, both in terms of arms sales and obtaining a facility in Port Sudan.”

Russian military expert Viktor Murakhovsky highlighted the potential significance of this naval base, noting it would be Russia’s first in Africa since the Soviet era. He emphasized Moscow’s strategic goal of controlling the Suez Canal route and establishing a permanent presence in the Indian Ocean.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced that if Syria’s new government applies to join BRICS, its request would be taken into serious consideration. Speaking to TASS news agency, Ryabkov stated, “There is no doubt that we seriously consider the applications of all countries, and Syria is no exception.” However, he emphasized that BRICS would not pressure or influence Syria’s decision, saying, “We are not forcing anyone, we are not encouraging anyone to do anything, and we respect any choice.”

In October, Syria’s ambassador to Moscow, Bashar Jaafari, revealed that Damascus was actively discussing the possibility of joining BRICS. Moscow has reaffirmed its support for Syria in this pursuit, highlighting the historic ties between the two nations. The BRICS bloc, originally founded in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, expanded in 2011 with the inclusion of South Africa. In a significant wave of growth, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates became members as of January 1, 2024.

Recent developments suggest a strategic shift in Moscow’s approach to Syria. The Kremlin has begun direct negotiations with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a key political and military entity in the region, to safeguard Russian military interests in the Middle East. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov confirmed contact with HTS’s political committee. Meanwhile, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani, now identifying as Ahmed Sharaa, expressed openness to redefining relations with Russia, noting the opportunity to “reconsider relations in a way that serves common interests.”

Simultaneously, the Syrian Embassy in Moscow raised the flag of the new administration, signaling readiness to follow directives from the country’s new leadership. This marks a notable pivot in the geopolitical alignment between Russia and Syria.

Former diplomat Nikolai Sokov, a senior fellow at the Vienna Centre for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, highlighted Russia’s pragmatic approach. In an interview with The Guardian, he remarked, “Moscow prefers to work with those who have power and control and discards those who lose it.”

Dara Massicot, an analyst at the Carnegie Centre for Russian and Eurasian Studies in Berlin, noted that while Russia could extend financial, energy, or resource-based support to the new Syrian government, the coalition’s specific demands remain uncertain.