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Victoria Derbyshire cornered a minister today over Europe’s exclusion from the US’s peace talks in Ukraine with Russia.
US president Donald Trump is pushing for a quick resolution to the Ukraine war.
He has already signalled that Kyiv may have to give up occupied territory to Russia and forfeit hopes of getting into Nato any time soon.
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The US is planning to hold talks with Russian negotiators in the coming weeks – but the UK and the rest of Europe have not been invited to join.
Controversially, Washington says it will just consult the continent and not directly involve them in the peace talks.
So, speaking to business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds this morning, presenter Derbyshire pointed out that the UK and its European allies were absent from the “new world order”.
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On the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, she said: “I’m trying to understand what appears to be the new world order.
“And it appears the UK, and the Europeans, are not even at the table when it comes to discussing negotiations over how the war in Ukraine will end.”
Reynolds replied: “The US defence secretary has also said everything is still on the table, and we shouldn’t rule out potential outcomes –”
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Derbyshire cut in: “Yes everything is on the table, but you’re not there!”
Reynolds said: “For a peace settlement to be durable it will simply have to have the involvement of the Europeans and the Ukrainians themselves.
“There’s been an incredible contribution from Europe alongside the US to the defence of Ukraine.”
He added that Trump “likes to win” and the way to do that is not awarding aggression.
The presenter asked: “Right, so why do you think the US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier in the week Ukraine won’t be in Nato and Ukraine will have to give up some of its territory?”
“He’s also said he’s not ruling anything out,” Reynolds repeated. “That’s their position they have outlined in terms of the immediate short-term.”
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The cabinet minister noted peace requires security guarantees, and “we will all have to play a part in that”.
He also said there was still a “great deal of common ground between the US and its European allies”.
Derbyshire asked how PM Keir Starmer plans to act as a bridge between the US and Europe as he joins European leaders for an emergency summit in Paris on Ukraine.
Reynolds replied: “Both allies will always be fundamentally important to us, I do think we can play a constructive role in this.
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“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, there’s a very assertive agenda from the US,” he said, while adding that the UK offers a lot in terms of defence and economic relations with the US.
’But there appear to be differences on Ukraine?” Derbyshire pointed out.
The minister said both sides want peace and a durable end to the war, so Ukraine can be rebuilt.
Reynolds also said the UK would “play its part” when pressed over whether it could send peacekeeping troops into Ukraine – but it was a “hypothetical right now”.