Donald Trump and President Zelensky (Image: Getty)
Hopes of a peace deal to end the war in lay in tatters last night after a spectacular public row between and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
A White House press conference between the two descended into a public shouting match when the US President bellowed at his opposite number: “You are gambling with the lives of millions of people. You are gambling with world war 3.”
And Mr Trump abruptly ended private talks between the pair, saying: “He can come back when he is ready for peace.”
Mr Zelensky was in the US to sign a deal giving America access to ’s rare minerals, which it was hoped would ensure deter future Russian aggression once the current war comes to an end.
But Mr Trump responded angrily when Mr Zelensky insisted must be given guarantees that Russian dictator would not break any peace deal, as it did following the Minsk agreements in 2014.
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Mr Trump told Mr Zelensky: “What you are doing is disrespectful to the country – this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.”
US Vice President JD Vance accused the Ukranian demanded: “Have you said thank you once?”
Private negotiations between the two Presidents then broke down, with Mr Trump stating on the Truth Social social media site: “It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations.
“I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE.
“He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
The angry exchanges came despite Mr Trump paying tribute to Mr Zelensky at the start of the press conference, saying his visit to the White House was “an honour” and praising the “bravery” of ’s armed forces.
And the US President also suggested the planned minerals deal could help end the war sparked by ’s invasion three years ago, saying: “We have a big investment in their country now.”
Talking about the prospects of peace, Mr Trump said: “We are fairly close to getting that.” But now it is unclear whether any deal can be signed.
Prime Minister Sir and other European leaders had been hoping the US would agree a deal in which European troops would serve as peacekeepers in while the US would provide a military “backstop”.
He had attempted to pave the way with his own visit to the White House earlier this week, following a visit by France’s President Marcon.
Sir Keir had been preparing for feverish day of diplomacy when he will play host to Mr Zelensky and European leaders for a crunch London summit on Sunday.
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Anger over his decision to increase defence spending by cutting Britain’s aid budget spilled into the open last night when international development minister Anneliese Dodds quit the Government and claimed the decision “will remove food and healthcare from desperate people.”
She was backed by Labour colleagues including former frontbenchers Barry Gardiner and Chi Onwurah. But Sir Keir hit back in a letter to Ms Dodds, telling her: “Protecting our national security must always be the first duty of any government.”
The Prime Minister, fresh from his trip to Washington which had been regarded by Number 10 as a triumph, hopes to win agreement for a plan to provide British and European “boots on the ground” in if the current conflict with can be brought an end.
He is also hoping the US will provide a “backstop” likely to include air support based in eastern Europe. Downing Street admits that Mr Trump has so far failed to agree to this, but talks are continuing and it is thought the mineral deal will give the US a financial incentive to oppose further Russian aggression.
The US-Ukrainian deal had been designed to create a fund co-managed by the US and to manage Ukrainian minerals such as graphite, lithium and titanium which are used in high-tech manufacturing and the nuclear industry.
Bloodshed continued yesterday as carried out attacks on ’s eastern Donetsk region and the northern city of Sumy. ’s military said a statement on Telegram that it had hit ’s Ilsky oil refinery, which is located in Krasnodar, and a Russian weapons storage facility in the occupied Donetsk region.
Sir Keir will on Sunday chair a call with Baltic countries bordering and its client-state ally Belarus, including Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia. He will then welcome President Zelensky to Downing Street for further discussions about the shape of an eventual peace agreement.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also been invited to Number 10 for bilateral talks covering and migration.
They key event will be major summit involving representatives from France, Denmark, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden and Romania among others, as well as EU representatives.
Initial work has also begun on ’s planned state visit to the UK, after the King invited the President to visit him at Dumfries House, in Ayrshire, Scotland, or Balmoral Castle, the monarch’s estate in Aberdeenshire.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting admitted the Government expected protests when conducts his second state visit to the UK.
He said: “This historic state visit will be an important moment. Will there be people protesting or disagreeing? Of course there will.
“But I just say to people that those protests are one of the amazing things about living in a democracy. We’ve got the freedom to speak up, people protest against this Government as well.”
There were demonstrations when Mr Trump was hosted by the late Queen on his first state visit in 2019.
Sir Keir announced that the King has invited Mr Trump to make a second state visit to the UK, an unprecedented gesture towards an American leader, during their White House meeting.
The charm offensive is also designed to persuade Mr Trump not to impose trade tariffs on the UK, even if fees are imposed on the EU, and to sign a trade agreement likely to focus on technology and AI.
Downing Street officials said talks on a new deal with advanced technology at its core including quantum computing and space industries “are very much ongoing”.
The Prime Minister received a boost as polling showed almost half of Britons back the idea of European countries including the UK providing security assurances to even if the US does not.
A further 18% would only back British guarantees if the US does likewise according to a YouGov survey while 11% say we should not offer any obligations.