‘Crucial chance' to end Ukraine war, UK minister says as G7 gathers in Munich
The UK is working to seize the 'crucial opportunity' of negotiations to end the Ukraine war, a Cabinet minister has said as global leaders gather on fragile diplomatic terms for a major security summit in Munich.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle also praised Donald Trump for being 'so dedicated' to bringing a close to the fighting after the US president declared that he and Vladimir Putin had agreed to 'work together' on resolving the conflict.
It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the Russian leader is 'definitely not preparing for negotiations', but to 'continue deceiving the world' as he appealed for unified pressure from allies on Moscow.
G7 ministers are gathering for the Munich Security Conference on Friday amid fears in some western capitals of Washington and the Kremlin negotiating European security over the heads of leaders on the continent.
Speaking to broadcasters on the morning media round, Mr Kyle declined to say whether the US president's approach to Mr Putin was akin to the appeasement of Hitler in the 1930s.
'We need to act coolly and calmly going forward, and listen to what President Zelensky says he needs, and to be there to support him for it,' he told LBC.
'It is great that we have a US president that is now so dedicated to bringing this war to an end. His defence secretary said that everything is on the table.
'This is a crucial opportunity and we want to make sure that this crucial opportunity is seized with both hands, and Britain is here in the middle of it, making sure that our voice and our desires and needs are here and taken care of and represented in the best way possible, too.'
Britain and other European allies have said that Ukraine's voice must be at the heart of any peace talks as the West reels from Mr Trump's telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart on Wednesday.
America has already appeared to make some concessions, suggesting that Kyiv must accept it will have to give up some territory to Moscow, and that Nato membership for the country is not a realistic prospect
Meanwhile, Nato's official position – endorsed by Sir Keir Starmer's Government in the UK/Ukraine 100-year partnership – is that Ukraine is on an 'irreversible' path to joining the alliance.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy will meet allies at the summit in Germany on Friday, where the future of Ukraine will lead the conference agenda, before a dinner with other delegates from the US, France, Italy and Germany.
Mr Trump, who spoke with Mr Putin before a phone call with Mr Zelensky, said on Thursday that Kyiv would have a seat at the table in any discussions.
But in comments to journalists in the Oval Office, he insisted that he could 'trust' Russia's leader and said he would like to see the country re-admitted to the G7.
The country was kicked out of the then-G8 in 2014 over its invasion of Crimea.
Ukrainian leader Mr Zelensky, who is expected to meet US vice-president JD Vance in Munich on Friday, appealed to western allies to stand firm and hold Russia accountable.
Writing on social media site X, he said: 'Every night, Russia carries out such attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure and cities. Russia continues to expand its army and shows no change in its deranged, anti-human state rhetoric.
'This means that Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations — he is preparing to continue deceiving the world.
'That is why there must be unified pressure from all who value life – pressure on the aggressor. Russia must be held accountable for its actions.'
Questions remain about what concessions Russia would have to make in any deal, with former MI6 chief Sir Alex Younger saying Ukraine had been asked to make 'some very, very hefty concessions… without much being asked for in return'.
As well as his meetings with the G7 and dinner with the so-called 'Quint', Mr Lammy is expected to take part in an event on Ukraine and meet representatives from European, Middle Eastern and North American nations.
He will be joined by the Defence Secretary, John Healey, who has already attended a Nato meeting and chaired a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group this week.
That meeting saw US defence secretary Pete Hegseth announce America was no longer 'primarily focused' on guaranteeing European security, leading to calls from some European capitals for greater spending on defence.
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