Donald Trump is pushing for a ceasefire announcement after his phone call with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
The US president and his Russian counterpart are due to talk on Tuesday, with the Kremlin confirming talks between the pair will go ahead as planned.
“We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday. I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday,” Mr Trump said while flying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday night. “A lot of work’s been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.”
The US president’s comments came as a Russian official said Moscow will seek “ironclad” guarantees in any peace deal that Nato nations will exclude Kyiv from membership, and that Ukraine will remain “neutral”.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko also repeated the Kremlin’s position that Moscow is categorically against the deployment of Nato observers to Ukraine.
US aid and intelligence suspension had no ‘material effect’ on Ukraine, says Lammy
A US suspension on sharing military aid and intelligence with Ukraine did not have a “material effect” on Kyiv’s ability to fight Russian forces, UK foreign secretary David Lammy has said.
Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel had earlier told the Commons: “It is very welcome that the US military aid and intelligence sharing has resumed and vital that the US and Ukraine continue to work together in the face of this appalling conflict.”
She asked Mr Lammy to set out his discussions with US counterparts on the suspension and “his assessments of the consequences caused”.
Dame Priti also said: “While we await further details of the proposed 30-day ceasefire, Russia’s response shows exactly why the Euro-Atlantic community must be resolute in the face of [Vladimir] Putin’s aggression and that he will seek to pursue long-held strategic objectives that he has not achieved on the battlefield through hypothetical negotiations, which means we must be robust.”
Mr Lammy said in his response: “I’m pleased to say that our assessment is that that pause as she will know was for a short period, not an extended period, and therefore it has not had a material effect.
“But we were pleased to see that resume, and we were pleased to see what flowed from Jeddah which was the United States, European allies and president [Volodymyr] Zelensky of Ukraine absolutely squared with the need for that ceasefire, and it is for Putin to unconditionally now accept that ceasefire – the ball is in his court.”
Starmer thanks Carney for his ‘approach to Ukraine’
Sir Keir Starmer thanked his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney for his “approach to Ukraine” and for joining him on a call on Saturday for his “coalition of the willing” to enforce a peace deal in Ukraine.
“It doesn’t surprise me that our two countries see this through a similar lens, with the same objectives,” Sir Keir said.
The Canadian premier said his country and the UK have a “remarkable” history built on “shared values”.
“We’re at a point in history where the world is being reordered, and your leadership, the leadership of the UK, I’ll use the example … of Ukraine, what you’ve been able to do with President Macron to bring together a coalition of the willing at a crucial time, I think, will be decisive, must be decisive, in coming to a lasting solution there.”
Russian networks tried to disrupt UK election but did not cause ‘notable’ impact
Russian interference networks tried to disrupt the UK general election last year, but did not cause a “notable” impact, the security minister has said.
Efforts to promote pro-Russian messages during the election period were not deemed by officials to have influenced the voting process, which overall saw “relatively low levels” of attempted interference.
Dan Jarvis told the National Security Strategy Joint Committee of the findings as he was quizzed on the Government’s approach to defending democratic institutions on Monday.
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Lammy says ‘operational detail’ of British troops in Ukraine to be discussed in this week’s London meeting
UK Foreign secretary David Lammy has said a London meeting this week will be used to discuss the “operational detail” of British troops in Ukraine.
Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel asked about a “peacekeeping initiative” in eastern Europe and said: “What will our contribution to peacekeeping consist of? Over what timeframe would deployment be launched and how will our armed forces be supported?”
Mr Lammy said in his response: “The UK is prepared of course to consider British committing troops on the ground but there must be a US backstop.
“There is a further meeting in London this week to continue to get into the operational detail.”
Carney and Macron reaffirm unwavering support for Ukraine
New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French president Emmanuel Macron have reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in a statement.
Mr Carney was meeting with the leaders of France and Britain on Monday during his first official overseas trip.
Lammy says US support needed for ‘credible’ coalition to deter Russia
Foreign secretary David Lammy has said US support will be required to make a coalition designed to deter Russia “credible”.
He told the Commons: “We’re taking steps to ensure Russia does not come back for more. We know the history – Budapest, Minsk, paper promises betrayed by (Vladimir) Putin.
“Together with France we’re establishing a coalition willing to deter Russia from invading again. To be credible, it will need US support.
“But Britain and our allies recognise that we need to step up and this government is leading the effort on multiple fronts.”
Lammy met Vance over weekend, Commons told
David Lammy met US vice president JD Vance in Washington over the weekend, he has told MPs.
The UK foreign secretary said that he discussed the US’s now-ended pause on military intelligence sharing and the prospect of a ceasefire with Mr Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio in recent days.
His comments came in a statement to the House of Commons following last week’s meeting of G7 foreign ministers – a group which also includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel had asked Mr Lammy to set out his discussions with US counterparts on the suspension and “his assessments of the consequences caused”.
Mr Lammy said in his response: “I’m pleased to say that our assessment is that that pause, as she will know, was for a short period, not an extended period, and therefore it has not had a material effect.
“But we were pleased to see that resume, and we were pleased to see what flowed from Jeddah which was the United States, European allies and President (Volodymyr) Zelensky of Ukraine absolutely square with the need for that ceasefire, and it is for Putin to unconditionally now accept that ceasefire – the ball is in his court.
“And I was pleased to be able to discuss these matters with Secretary (Marco) Rubio over the course of the three days at the G7 but also with Vice President (JD) Vance yesterday morning at his residence in Washington.”
King welcomes Carney as Canada takes part in Ukraine peacekeping coalition talks
King Charles has welcomed Mark Carney to Buckingham Palace, with the new Canadian Prime Minister telling him they had “much to catch up on”.
It comes as Canada has been taking part in discussions around a coalition of countries willing to contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
Macron touches on French-British plan for Ukraine ceasefire during meeting with Carney
French president Emmanuel Macron has touched on the French-British plan for securing any ceasefire in Ukraine, and said that “Canada and France are powers of peace, reliable allies, which will take part together in this effort”.
New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was meeting with the leaders of Britain and France on Monday during his first official overseas trip, seeking support from two of Ottawa’s oldest allies as US President Donald Trump targets Canada’s sovereignty and economy.
Germany ‘resistant’ to seizing frozen Russian assets in Europe, says Lammy
Germany has been “resistant” to seizing frozen Russian assets held in Europe, the UK foreign secretary has said.
David Lammy told the Commons: “It is not the United States that has raised consistent concerns about sovereign assets, it’s not the United States in this instance that’s more exposed than others.
“It’s actually within Europe – Belgian colleagues that have found themselves more exposed and German colleagues that have previously been resistant to this issue, but of course, there’s a change of administration in Germany coming, and so we’ll see what their assessment is.”
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller had asked: “If the US refuses to seize Russian assets, will the Foreign Secretary take a lead with European partners so this support can flow?”
Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel had earlier asked whether “the UK will go further than the £2.26 billion loan already announced off the back of the profits from sanctioned assets”.
Mr Lammy replied: “Russia must pay for the damage it is causing Ukraine. I’m delighted that the first £752 million payment of the UK’s £2.26 billion loan to be repaid by the profits that have been generated on Russian sanctioned assets so far, but she knows that there is rightfully a discussion about moving from freezing to seizing.
“It’s important that if we were to move in that direction that there is unanimity amongst the G7, of course, and that there is a way forward within the European Union for those countries that are most exposed, and as she would expect at pace, we are discussing these very same issues.”
Source: independent.co.uk