Downing Street has hit back at criticism of Keir Starmer’s Ukraine strategy by a top aide to Donald Trump.
Steve Witkoff made clear his scepticism about the prime minister’s plan to bring together a “coalition of the willing” of nations prepared to guarantee Ukraine’s security once a peace deal with Russia is agreed.
Speaking to pro-Trump journalist Tucker Carlson, Trump’s special envoy, who is leading the US ceasefire negotiations, said: “I think it’s a combination of a posture and a pose and a combination of also being simplistic.
“There is this sort of notion that we have all got to be like [British wartime prime minister] Winston Churchill. Russians are going to march across Europe. That is preposterous by the way. We have something called Nato that we did not have in World War Two.”
Witkoff’s remarks come days after a Russian official publicly called Starmer’s plan a “bluff”.
Asked about the comments today, Starmer’s official spokesman mounted a strong defence of the PM’s plan.
He said: “The prime minister has been very clear about the role of the coalition of the willing in delivering a lasting peace in Ukraine, and that’s why we’re pushing ahead with the operational planning phase.”
Further meetings of the coalition of the willing are due to take place this week.
Ukraine has signed up to a US-backed 30-day truce in the war, but Vladimir Putin has so far refused to follow suit.