The UK and Europe may need to offer security guarantees to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal with Russia, regardless of US support, the former head of the British armed forces has said on a BBC One Question Time special.
Retired General Sir Nick Carter said he believed it was for Ukraine to decide what a “fair settlement” meant, but that the UK and European countries needed to “step up to the plate” to guarantee Ukraine’s sovereignty “if the Americans are not prepared to do that”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who is to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington next Thursday, has said a “US security guarantee” is “the only way to effectively deter Russia”.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the UK was “ready to listen” to Russia if it was serious about peace and rejected “Tsarist imperialism”.
The rift between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appeared to deepen in recent days, with America announcing it will soon begin direct negotiations with Russia.
Sir Keir said the UK was willing to provide peacekeeping troops if necessary, but a US “backstop” would be needed to keep the peace and stop Russia attacking again.
He did not explain what he meant by this but others have suggested it could involve air support, logistics and intelligence capabilities.
Trump said earlier this week that he “would not object” to Europe sending in peacekeeping troops, but the US “won’t have to put any over there, because, you know, we’re very far away”.
In the US, the prime minister is expected to maintain his support for Zelensky and Ukraine’s government while seeking to gain Trump’s ear over talks with Russia.
He will go to the White House following a separate visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to see Trump on Monday.
Macron is seeking to co-ordinate a European response and said he had spoken to Zelensky to discuss the diplomatic situation ahead of his trip.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also spoke to Zelensky, repeating Canada’s support and stressing that Kyiv must be involved in any negotiations to end the war.
China has come out in support of Trump’s plan to negotiate with Russia, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying it supports “all efforts conducive to peace” including the US-Russia talks.
“China has noted that calls for peace talks have been rising recently, and a window for peace is opening,” Wang was quoted as saying at the G20 meeting in South Africa by AFP news agency.
