British ambassador to the US Lord Mandelson’s claim that Ukraine should commit to a ceasefire before Russia “is not government policy”, a minister has told Sky News.
Peter Mandelson said on Sunday, in the wake of a heated televised meeting between Donald Trump and Volodomyr Zelenskyy, he thinks Ukraine “should be the first to commit to a ceasefire and defy the Russians to follow”.
However, Armed Forces minister Luke Pollard told Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast: “That’s not government policy.”
He said it is right Ukrainians want peace, but added: “We’re still in discussions, diplomatic engagement with our European, US and Ukrainian friends as to the shape of that deal.”
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Mr Pollard said it was important a peace deal is “lasting and durable” and involves European countries, but crucially with US backing to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin from renaging on it.
The minister also said he does not want a “short pause” as that would allow Ukraine to be invaded by Russia again.
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Lord Mandelson’s appointment as British ambassador to the US at the end of last year was somewhat controversial as the former minister has criticised the Labour Party’s policies and also said Mr Trump was “little short of a white nationalist and racist” and “a danger to the world”.
However, as his appointment was questioned he said his criticisms were “ill-judged and wrong”.
The ambassador’s latest comment came after Mr Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington DC, to secure a ceasefire agreement with Russia and a possible mineral deal with the US, ended prematurely as the US and Ukrainian presidents clashed at an Oval Office meeting in front of the media.
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Sir Keir Starmer then hosted a summit on Sunday of European leaders, plus NATO’s secretary general and the Canadian prime minister, in London to agree on what they could do for Ukraine.
The prime minister said Europe “must do the heavy lifting”, and the UK “is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others”.
He also announced a new deal allowing Ukraine to use £1.6bn of UK export finance to buy 5,000 more air defence missiles.
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During a news conference on Sunday in London, Mr Zelenskyy told Sky News he is “exchangeable” for NATO membership, indicating he would be prepared to step down as president if Ukraine was admitted into the alliance.
He also suggested he was ready to sign the minerals deal with the US that was put on hold after his clash with Mr Trump.
