Donald Trump claimed Vladimir Putin has agreed to start talks on ending the brutal war in Ukraine which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives – but stopped short of saying if the Ukrainians would have any say in a deal.
Mr Trump said during a call with Putin, he had agreed with Russia’s leader to “work together, very closely” on bringing the three-year conflict to an end in a phone conversation on Wednesday.
But when asked in the White House if Ukraine would be at the negotiating table, Mr Trump said: “Interesting question. I think they have to make peace.”
Washington has also poured cold water on Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO, and in discussions with President Zelensky in Kyiv, the Trump administration agreed to keeping US aid flowing, but only in return for access to rare minerals and fossil fuels.
In the UK, experts have reacted with concern Mr Trump had essentially ‘rewarded’ the Kremlin for invading Ukraine three years ago.
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Conservative MP and former Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Alicia Kearns, wrote on X last night: “How this renewed illegal invasion ends, matters. The aggressor must not be rewarded. Their false narrative must not be endorsed.
“Their war crimes must not be brushed aside. A safer Europe requires an end to the march of Putin’s imperialism, it is not just the end of gunfire.”
In London the Defence Secretary said Ukraine’s “voice must be at the heart” of any negotiations for a peace deal to end the war with Russia. John Healey insisted “Russia remains a threat well beyond Ukraine”
Speaking as NATO allies gathered in Brussels on Thursday, he said: “We’ve seen the calls from President Trump overnight and we all want to see a durable peace and no return to conflict and aggression – and let’s not forget, Russia remains a threat well beyond Ukraine.
“So, my message in these discussions will be that there can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine and Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks.
“Ukrainians are fighting bravely … it’s our job as defence ministers here at NATO, to put them in the best position to secure a lasting peace through strength.”
The US has suggested that as part of a peace deal, Ukraine must accept it will have to give up some territory to Russia and NATO membership is not a realistic prospect.
Mr Trump’s call with the Russian president came just hours after Mr Zelensky warned “Putin is not preparing for peace” and called for unity from Ukraine’s allies.
It’s reported that Mr Trump said he spent more than an hour on the phone with Mr Putin and said: “I think we’re on the way to getting peace”.
The US President later spoke to Ukrainian President but he was non-committal about whether Ukraine would be an equal participant in US negotiations with Russia.
“I think President Putin wants peace and President Zelensky wants peace and I want peace,” Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I just want to see people stop being killed.”
