Political reporter
EPAIr Keir Starmer reaffirmed that the UK will continue to support Ukraine’s “irreversible path” despite key figures from President Donald Trump’s administration that appear to rule out membership.
The Prime Minister told Ukrainian President Voldimi Zelensky that he was on a pledge made with former US President Joe Biden at the NATO summit in Washington last year.
Sir Kiel and Zelensky spoke on the phone ahead of the global leaders’ meeting at the Munich Security Conference.
Ir Kiel’s comments contrasted with the Trump administration’s comments, saying this week that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not a “realistic outlook.”
In reading the call, a Downing Street spokesperson said:
“He made it clear that he could not talk about Ukraine without Ukraine.
“Ukraine needed strong security guarantees, further fatal aid and a future of sovereignty.
“The Prime Minister reiterated his UK commitment to Ukraine on an irreversible path to NATO, as agreed by his allies at the Washington Summit last year.”
Leaders agreed that it was “a key moment to demonstrate international unity and support for Ukraine” and “consent to maintain close contact,” the statement added.
The UK had to walk the tiny line between support for Kiev and maintaining good relations with Trump.
Trump’s Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses said it was simply “unrealistic” to restore Ukrainian territory prior to the first Russian invasion in 2014.
Speaking at the Defense Summit in Brussels on Wednesday, Hegus also downplayed the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO.
His remarks were the clearest indication of what could be involved in the Trump administration’s position on the Ukrainian war and a peace plan to end the conflict.
Ukraine repeatedly called for NATO membership and rejected the territory of transfer as part of the peace agreement.
NATO’s official position is that Ukraine is on a “irreversible” path to joining an alliance established at a conference held in Washington last year and approved by IS Kiel and former President Biden.
Ir Kiel also called from Trump late Thursday night.
Zelensky warned that Putin “doesn’t prepare for negotiations,” but when he advocated unified pressure from his Russian allies, he warned that he would “deceive the world.”
ReutersBritish Foreign Secretary David Lamy sat down for consultations with Vice President JD Vance on Friday on the first day of the Munich security meeting.
Lamy then said he was “very encouraged” by the conversation in Ukraine, and he and Vance agreed that Kiev was sitting at the table when it came to negotiating a peaceful end to the war. .
“We share the view that there must be lasting peace,” Ramy told Reuters following the meeting.
“There was an agreement that Zelensky and the Ukrainians must be part of that negotiated transaction.”
Ramie said it was “not surprising” that Trump wanted to talk to Putin and Zelensky about negotiations to end the war, but “These are just stories at this point. We’ve negotiated peace. It’s in some form.”
Earlier in the day, Vance said the discussion with Lamie would hope that they would “focus on what they said when we met.”
