4th Mar 2025 09:13
(Alliance News) - The UK remains "absolutely committed" to peace in Ukraine and is "engaging with key allies", the government has said after Donald Trump halted US military aid to the country.
The White House has paused delivery of ammunition and other equipment to Kyiv after announcing overnight it was "reviewing" its assistance to "ensure that it is contributing to a solution".
It comes after a clash in the Oval Office between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the US leader last Friday left bilateral ties between the two nations in tatters.
Allies led by Britain and France have spent recent days scrambling to find a way forward following the row, which ended with Zelensky leaving the White House empty-handed despite plans to sign a minerals deal with the US.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's own trip to Washington last week went as well as No 10 could have hoped, with Trump indicating he would not block the Chagos Islands deal and suggesting a trade agreement could spare British exports from US tariffs.
He is seeking to act as a bridge between America and Europe in efforts to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine amid fears that Kyiv and its allies would continue to be excluded from talks over its future after White House representatives met Kremlin officials for talks about ending the war.
Following the suspension of US aid on Monday, a UK government spokeswoman said "key allies" were being engaged with as Britain seeks to secure a lasting peace.
"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," the spokeswoman said.
"We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with GBP3 billion-a-year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a GBP2.26 billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets.
"In addition, we've set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use GBP1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace."
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said Starmer remained "laser-focused" on Ukraine and would not be "derailed" by announcements from the White House.
She denied the government was acting as if it was "business as usual", telling BBC Radio 4's Today: "It's a very serious moment and I think the prime minister has been very serious about the way he has conducted himself."
Rayner added: "He's laser-focused on getting peace.
"He won't be derailed by announcements. He will continue that dialogue with our oldest and strongest ally, the US, and with European partners and with Ukraine."
She added: "The prime minister will not conduct dialogue on open airwaves."
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."
By Nina Lloyd and David Hughes
Press Association: News
source: PA
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