Grant Shapps’ comments follow reports Britain pitched a peace deal to Donald Trump.
“I don’t think it’s plausible at all for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to win this war. And it’s important he doesn’t.” Grant Shapps said. | Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
MAY 14, 2024 12:20 PM CET
BY NOAH KEATE
LONDON — Britain will not row back on supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia, U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps vowed Tuesday.
Speaking as the U.K. announced plans to build six new naval ships, Shapps insisted his government would never force the country to sign a peace agreement.
It comes after a weekend report by the Sunday Times that Shapps’ Cabinet colleague David Cameron had broached the idea of a deal between Russia and Ukraine during a meeting with Donald Trump earlier this year.
“There is just no sense at all in which Britain would try to persuade, strong-arm or otherwise, Ukraine into accepting giving up some of their territory. That’s a decision entirely for Ukraine,” Shapps told Times Radio Tuesday when pressed on the report.
“I don’t think it’s plausible at all for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to win this war. And it’s important he doesn’t.”
His comments mark the latest attempt to tamp down speculation over Cameron’s April meeting with Trump, which was aimed at persuading the U.S. Republican to back further military help for Ukraine amid opposition in his own ranks.
Citing a “senior source,” the Sunday Timesreported that Cameron had told Trump: “What are the best conditions in which you as president can make a deal in January? It’s both sides holding their lines and paying a price for that.”
U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak distanced himself from the report when asked Monday. “I haven’t seen this Sunday Times article, so forgive me for that,” he said. “But what I can tell you is that you we have led when it comes to Ukraine.”
That was echoed by Shapps Tuesday. “It’s right that we provide both the military assistance and the moral clarity that it is always unacceptable for an autocrat to walk into a neighboring democratic country,” the defense secretary told the BBC. “We should stand behind them fully in order to eject Russia from all of their territory.”
Britain’s opposition Labour party has also stressed its continued support for Ukraine, with Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Shadow Defense Secretary John Healey visiting the country’s capital Kyiv to express what they called their “iron-clad commitment.”
Lord Cameron met with Trump on April 9, to discuss Ukraine. Unfortunately that indicates that British spooks think that Trump is more likely than not to win.
Since that time there has been a change:
Trump has stopped belittling Ukraine on his stump speeches.
There is now even a bizarre, almost unbelievable rumour of Nikki Haley getting the VP job.
On his “Truth Social” platform on April 18, Trump wrote:
“As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! GET MOVING EUROPE!”
Now that is a really dramatic turnaround.
There is no turn around, the anonymous sources are losing their propaganda war
As usual your suffering of reverse TDS gives you a highly selective memory. Google the horrible sneering comments that Trumpkov incorporated into his stump speech until recently. Then google what his asshole fuckwit son said about Zel. Then google what trump said to a couple of wankers named Travis and Sexton on Feb 22, 2022.
Finally google “Trump: Putin’s gonna take all Ukraine.” That was last year on live TV.
Then apologise. Not to me; I don’t give a fuck what you say to me. Apologise to Ukraine for the thousands of murders of Ukrainians that took place because of the trumpkov aid block.
Trump will say and do what it takes to win. He should not be underestimated as a political campaigner, it would be desastrous if Team Biden followed the stupid, ignorant, arrogant example of the Hillary Clinton campaign of 2016 ( https://www.amazon.de/Shattered-Inside-Hillary-Clintons-Campaign/dp/0553447084 ).
Sure, the loudmouth narcissist (Trump, I mean, even though Hillary… don’t get me started) contradicts himself embarassingly by this sudden shifting of his (wide) stance, but many US voters are too mindless to give a damn. On the other hand, this can’t simply be seen as good news for Ukraine, because there’s no guarantee at all that Trump wouldn’t cozy up with his old buddy Putin after winning a second term. With all his flaws, Biden’s still the safer bet. 😕
Maj Gen Tim Cross (rtd) Spoke to Times radio yesterday. I didn’t like much of what he said because it was very speculative. He claims he’s “heard rumours” that putler and Zel will sit down together soon. I think that’s bollocks, but we will see.
The General’s theory is that putler is making one last push to take as much as he can before freezing the conflict and negotiating.
Again, I think that’s bollocks too.
A very good comment was posted by Mr bipolarbear:
@bipolarbear9917
Ukraine was NEVER going to be in a position to launch a genuine counteroffensive without sufficient air power. Until Ukraine gets the critical mass of military resources required and concentrated, it’s unfair to criticize their performance so far. It’s the Western allies who have been dithering that should take the blame for the slow going. Regardless of NATO, an independent pact to back Ukraine until Russia is defeated should be signed and backed up materially. Once that is in place, an ultimatum to Putin that he either withdraw to the 1991 border, or face the combined force of all the allies until that objective is met. “The Soviet understands only one language; action, respects only one word; force” – Dean Acheson
Right Mr Bipolar, that is EXACTLY what should happen.
Blinken, guitar in hand, sings ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ in Kyiv bar during Ukraine trip:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/blinken-guitar-hand-sings-rockin-free-world-kyiv-bar-during-ukraine-trip
Rockin’ in the Free World : Blinken:
Love that song! It’s a Neil Young classic, condensing the frustration and anger he feels about the state of the world, exploding in a furious rock anthem. Like Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”, the title and refrain ironically mislead ignorant listeners about the acid criticism voiced in the lyrics. Kudos to Antony Blinken for performing that masterpiece! It’s a bit weird choice for the foreign minister of the country criticized in the song, though. ✊🤠🎸
I have an aversion to NY’s guitar playing and singing style. That said, he’s an excellent songwriter and I absolutely love the band he’s associated with; CSN&Y. I “follow” Graham Nash on FB and his remarkable tenor voice is still intact at the great age of 82!
I think Blinken “read the room” well and made a nice speech. I’m only sorry that his boss put all his cards on the table with that disastrous New Orc Times article back in 2022.
It’s time to revisit that article and drop the very foolish “no troops” pledge.
Good points, Scradge, and fair enough to Neil Young. Musical tastes do vary, no big deal. At my nowadays inactive twitter account, I follow a great folk/rock songwriter, too, Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane fame. Hooray for handmade music! 🙂🎶🎵
A nice creative use of Drop D tuning by an old pro!
Ukraine needs the GOP. Johnson, Trump, Haley!
You trust Trump to stay on Ukraine’s side after the election and not cozy up with his old buddy Putin again, Mike? There’s no guarantee for that, it’s a very dangerous gamble!
☝😕
We will see.
Yup. But it’s gonna be a nailbiter first. If Biden doesn’t do a bold move, like replacing Harris with a more popular VP, Trump has a high chance of winning, indeed. 🤔
Biden’s re-election entirely depends on coming developments in Ukraine. If he fucks it up like Afghanistan he’s politically dead, imho.
Right, Mike! And I said so, too, since early 2022. Imho it should have been obvious to everyone paying attention to US politics that Biden needed to have a big success in the Ukrainian war before the hot phase of the 2024 campaign. Apparently not to Biden, though, who wasted all chances to put Ukraine on the fast track to victory. And so, here we are, two years into the war, facing a huge SNAFU! If that results in the old bonehead losing the election, it will be his own damn fault, for snatching defeat from the claws of victory. Grrr. 😠
After his meeting with Cammers on April 9, Trump seems to have undergone a Damascene conversion. On the 18th he posted:
“As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! GET MOVING EUROPE!”
We have seen nothing but lies, disinformation and bile from Trump about Ukraine, so this is encouraging. We will have to see if his acolytes start to moderate their language too on Ukraine.
At the moment he still can’t be trusted.