Politics reporter
PA MediaThere can be “no durable peace” in Ukraine without European nations, particularly Ukrainians, taking part in talks to end the war with Russia, the business secretary has told the BBC.
Jonathan Reynolds downplayed divisions between the US and its allies over resolving the conflict, after concerns over the Trump administration moving ahead with peace talks that would lock out European countries, including Ukraine.
In response, European leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer, are to meet in Paris on Monday, while US officials prepare to meet Russian negotiators.
Reynolds told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme the UK could act as a “bridge” between the US and Europe to strengthen relations.
Reynolds also told the programme, hosted by Victoria Derbyshire, the UK and Europe had to respond to US demands for them to pay more towards their “collective defence” in the face of “greater threats”.
He said the UK government would set out a roadmap to increase defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of national output, but declined to offer a definitive timetable.
The Trump administration has called for its Nato allies to uplift to 5% and has said in the past week that it will no longer primarily be focused on European security.
Pressed on whether the 2.5% figure would be sufficient, Reynolds said any decision would take threats to national security into account.
Asked if the threat had “just got bigger without the US”, he said there was “no doubt” it had.
Reynolds said he thought the UK could “play a constructive role” as a bridge between the US and Europe “as we adjust to this new era, and it certainly is a new era”.
But he added there had not been a “fundamental breach” in relations and there was “still a great deal of common ground”.
The business secretary did concede it would not “be it easy, there’s a very assertive agenda from the US.”
However, he argued Europe and Ukraine would have to be involved for any peace settlement to be lasting.
“Ultimately [President Trump] is somebody who likes to win, and winning would not be rewarding a war of aggression,” Reynolds said.
On Saturday, Sir Keir said that the emergency summit in Paris was a “once-in-a-generation moment for our national security” and it was clear Europe must take a greater role in Nato.
He added that the UK would work “to keep the US and Europe together” and could not allow divisions between the two to distract from “external enemies”.
Plans for the summit came after Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said European leaders would be consulted but not take part in any talks between US and Russia over ending the war.
Senior White House figures are due to meet Russian negotiators in Saudi Arabia in the coming days. US officials said that Ukraine was also invited – although President Volodymyr Zelensky says his country has received no such invitation.
Also talking to Victoria Derbyshire, Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said it was “too premature to make assumptions” about the way Ukraine peace talks were heading.
“We all have to have very, very cold and calm heads right now, primarily because this conflict is still raging.”
She said Ukrainians should be the ones determining their future because the war was about their “independence and sovereignty”.
Asked if she supported President Trump’s proposal that Ukraine give up territory to end the conflict, she said: “We have to understand in more detail what they are saying, it’s too easy to generalise.
“It’s very early days in those talks, and I think right now, the United Kingdom, along with Nato allies, we must continue to be firm and solid and strong in that support we’re giving.”
Dame Priti added that as a priority, the UK needed to step up its spending on defence.
Appearing on the same programme, Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice said it was “no surprise” Trump and his team were taking “a completely different” approach by putting “everything up for grabs” in terms of Ukraine.
He described it as a “massive wake-up call” for European leaders to take responsibility for their own defence.
Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said Ukraine had to be “at the front and centre” of any peace talks.
He warned that the US moves could leave Ukraine and the rest of Europe “at risk of future Russian aggression”.
