Sir Keir Starmer is focused on a “durable peace”, Downing Street has said, after Donald Trump’s envoy to Ukraine dismissed his “coalition of the willing” plan.
Steve Witkoff – who is leading the US ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and Russia – described the prime minister’s idea as “posture and pose” and accused him of adopting the “simplistic” notion that leaders “have all got to be like Winston Churchill”.
Politics Live: No 10 dismisses row over chancellor’s Sabrina Carpenter freebie
Pushed by the UK and France, the “coalition of the willing” could see troops from a number of European and NATO countries deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers after a ceasefire in order to deter Vladimir Putin from launching further attacks on its neighbour.
Sir Keir’s official spokesman defended the idea following Mr Witkoff’s comments, saying the PM remained “focused on the outcome of durable peace in Ukraine” and that he was working on the “planning phase” of the coalition.
He wouldn’t be drawn on whether the remarks were discussed in a phone call between the prime minister and Mr Trump on Sunday night.
He said the focus of their conversation was an “economic deal” with the US, but “we are engaging with the US at all levels on Ukraine”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Starmer outlines four point plan for Ukraine
Mr Witkoff made the comments in an interview with pro-Trump journalist Tucker Carlson.
He told Mr Carlson he recently met with the Russian president in Moscow and “liked” him.
“I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy. I thought that he was straight up with me,” he…
