Peter Mandelson slapped down by No10 after ambassador to US suggests Ukraine’s Zelensky backs Trump peace plan despite White House row_Nhy
No10 today distanced itself from Lord Mandelson after the UK ambassador to the US suggested Ukraine should agree to a ceasefire before Russia.
The Tony Blair-era Labour minister also used an interview with American outlet ABC to say that Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky should give ‘unequivocal backing’ to US President Donald Trump‘s peace initiative.
His remarks came after Friday’s astonishing televised White House spat between the two presidents, which sparked global outrage.
Mr Trump accused Mr Zelensky of ‘gambling with world war three’ and said he had not expressed enough thanks for US aid in defending his country against Mr Putin‘s invasion.
PM Sir Keir Starmer gathered European leaders and Canadian PM Trudeau in London yesterday to find a way for Europe to lead on a peace deal.
Mr Trump’s overtures to Russia’s Vladimir Putin, with the possibility of Ukraine being sidelined in talks led by the White House and the Kremlin, has alarmed European leaders.
But the PM’s official spokesman today distanced the Government from Lord Mandelson’s words.
‘The PM has made very clear his priorities in bringing together a small group of countries who are willing to defend a deal in Ukraine and guarantee the peace and that work is continuing at pace,’ he said.
The Tony Blair-era Labour minister also used an interview with American outlet ABC to say that Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky should give ‘unequivocal backing’ to US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative.
His remarks came after Friday’s astonishing televised White House spat between the two presidents, which sparked global outrage.
But the PM’s official spokesman today distanced the Government from Lord Mandelson’s words.
Asked if Lord Mandelson’s comments were helpful, the spokesman added: ‘The PM has made very clear his position on all of this. The priority here is reaching a durable peace and we’re continuing to focus on the steps to deliver that.’
Lord Mandelson said a ‘very radical reset’ was needed following the Oval Office row between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky.
‘The reset has to consist of the United States and Ukraine getting back on the same page, President Zelensky giving his unequivocal backing to the initiative that President Trump is taking to end the war and to bring a just and lasting peace to Ukraine,’ he said.
‘And the Europeans too, they need to back the calls for a ceasefire, and – by the way – I think that Ukraine should be the first to commit to a ceasefire and defy the Russians to follow.’
The former Cabinet minister’s appointment as ambassador was not straightforward, with past comments about Mr Trump coming back to haunt him.
The Labour grandee called Mr Trump a ‘danger to the world’ and ‘little short of a white nationalist and racist’ several years ago.
He later used a New York Times interview to say that some of his comments about Mr Trump had been ‘childish and wrong’.
Asked this morning whether Lord Mandelson’s remarks reflected Government policy, Defence Minister Luke Pollard told Sky News: ‘No. It’s certainly right that Ukrainians want peace. I think of all the people on our continent that want peace, the Ukrainians want it the most.
‘But we’re still in discussions, diplomatic engagement with our European, US and Ukrainian friends as to the shape of that deal.
‘But it’s certainly right that the war could stop tomorrow if President Putin stopped his illegal and unprovoked aggression. He could stop this war.’
Asked whether Lord Mandelson misspoke, he said: ‘That’s not Government policy.’
Earl;ier today
Nigel Farage today blamed Ukrainian war leader Volodymyr Zelensky for starting a furious row with Donald Trump at the White House last week.
The Reform UK leader, a vocal cheerleaders for the US president, accused the war leader of ‘overplaying his hand’ and sparking the astonishing televised spat with Trump and vice president JD Vance.
Mr Farage also criticised president Zelensky of ‘bowling up and showing no respect’ to Trump, because he failed to wear a suit and tie to his meeting in Washington DC.
The Ukrainian president, who was given a warm welcome by King Charles at Sandringham yesterday, cut short a trip to the US in which he was supposed to sign a minerals deal with Mr Trump.
Mr Trump sparked global outrage by accusing Mr Zelensky of ‘gambling with World War Three’ and said he had not expressed enough thanks for US aid in defending his country against Mr Putin’s invasion.
Speaking to LBC today Mr Farage said Ukraine was a ‘corrupt country’ and had to accept it was not getting territory like the Crimea back.
And he added: ‘If I turned up at the White House I would make sure I was wearing a suit and my shoes were clean.’
After it was pointed out that the Ukrainian president was following in the footsteps of leaders like Churchill in visiting in battle fatigues, he added: ‘If Zelenky wants to bowl in and show no respect to a man who we all know is incredible old fashioned about this stuff … if you are going in with a positive mindset maybe Zelensky should have thought about that.’
