There can be no negotiation “about Ukraine without Ukraine”, the UK’s defence secretary has warned.
John Healey’s comments ahead of a Nato meeting of defence ministers in Brussels on Thursday come after US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agreed to begin negotiations to end the war.
Speaking to reporters, Healey said: “We’ve seen the calls from President Trump overnight and we all want to see a durable peace and no return to conflict and aggression.”
But he added that Russia “remains a threat well beyond Ukraine”.
He told reporters ahead of the meeting that “my message… Will be that there can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine and Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks”.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he and the Russian president had “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately”.
He did not set a date for a face-to-face meeting with Putin, but later told reporters at the White House: “We’ll meet in Saudi Arabia.” He wrote on social media the pair had also invited each other to their respective capitals.
On Wednesday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said European nations must provide the “overwhelming” share of funding for Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting on Thursday, Hegseth said the US’s attempts to negotiate peace between Ukraine and Russia was “certainly not a betrayal” of the Ukrainian soldiers who have been fighting against the invasion.
Addressing fellow defence chiefs later, he added that the US was “committed to expediting the process” of foreign military sales, to ensure “our allies get what they need when they need it”.
Healey said the UK had “heard a clear message from the US about stepping up and we are”, pointing out a new £150m package of military aid including drones, tanks and air defence systems for Ukraine.
“The Ukrainians are fighting bravely,” said Healey. “Its our jobs as defence ministers here at Nato to put them in the best position to secure a lasting peace through strength.”
The US indicated that it was unlikely Ukraine would return to its pre-2014 borders under a deal, while there was not a realistic prospect of Ukraine joining the Nato military alliance.
Nato members have previously pledged their support for an “irreversible path” to future membership for Ukraine.
Healey said on Wednesday that welcoming the country to Nato would take “some time”, emphasising that the focus “for now” should be on ensuring Kyiv was in a strong position ahead of potential peace talks.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also voiced his support for Ukraine joining the alliance, telling GB News the move was “essential”.
