Keir Starmer is ‘engaging with key allies’ today after Donald Trump’s bombshell move to pull all military aid to Ukraine.
The PM is ‘absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace’ after the extraordinary announcement by the US president.
In interviews, Angela Rayner admitted it is a ‘very serious moment’ but American military aid was a ‘matter for the US’.
The White House has paused delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv after announcing overnight it was ‘reviewing’ assistance to ‘ensure that it is contributing to a solution’.
The move appears to be part of a power play to heap pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky to make concessions in negotiations with Russia.
Meanwhile, there are claims that Trump officials have been drawing up plans to ease sanctions on Vladimir Putin, as decades of Western alliances are effectively torn up.
And Vice President JD Vance has launched a vicious jibe at the UK’s ‘coalition of the willing’ underwriting peace in Ukraine, dismissing it as ‘20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years’.
A UK Government spokeswoman said: ‘We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so.
‘We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with £3 billion-a-year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a £2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets.
‘In addition, we’ve set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use £1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace.’
Sir Keir told the Commons just hours before Mr Trump’s intervention that he ‘understood’ the US position was not to withdraw aid.
Relations between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump reached new lows on Friday with a public slanging match in the Oval Office.
That triggered crisis talks between European leaders in London on Sunday, with Sir Keir trying to forge a ‘coalition of the willing’ that could enforce any peace deal with Russia.
Mr Zelensky looks to be resisting Washington’s demands that he accepts the principle of ceding territory to Russia, after the latest full-scale invasion in 2022. Putin’s troops current occupy around a fifth of Ukraine.
A White House official said: ‘The President has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.’
The decision casts doubt over Ukraine’s ability to continue to defending itself against Russian invaders. It is understood the ‘pause’ will extend to undelivered aid already earmarked for Ukraine by the Biden administration.
A second official told Fox News that ‘this is not permanent termination of aid, it’s a pause’. All military equipment not currently in Ukraine will be halted and all future aid is now in jeopardy.
Trump’s shift followed an abrupt post warning that ‘America will not put up with it for much longer’ yesterday after Mr Zelensky suggested the end of the war is still ‘very, very far away’.
Mr Zelensky was speaking after the London summit saw 18 allies joining to offer Ukraine security guarantees and reify their support. Sir Keir said the powers would work together to draw up a viable peace plan that could be presented to Mr Trump.
‘This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky, and America will not put up with it for much longer,’ an infuriated Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social website.
Mr Trump also questioned Mr Zelensky’s commitment to peace, saying that he ‘doesn’t want there to be peace as long as he has America’s backing’.
He also hinted that Mr Zelensky might not be Ukrainian president much longer – a key demand of Putin.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the UK and Europe must ‘rearm faster’ following the US announcement.
She said:’ The news overnight that America is halting military aid to Ukraine is profoundly worrying.
‘It is clear that Britain and Europe must rearm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support.
‘We must work to keep America in, and Russia out.’