Category Archives: Ukraine

Even Donald Trump’s Former Vice-President Says He’s Got It Wrong On Ukraine

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Donald Trump’s former vice-president has slammed his decision to waive sanctions against Russia as the war in Ukraine goes on.

Mike Pence said the move “is decidedly not in the national interests of the United States and should be reversed”.

The US Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act last month, and it was then signed into law by Trump himself.

It gave the president the power to impose extensive new tariffs and sanctions on Russia and countries that buy energy products and other critical exports from the country as its war on Ukraine continues.

But Trump announced he was blocking the new sanctions just two days before they were due to come into force.

In a post on X, Pence – who has become a fierce critic of Trump – condemned the move.

He said: “President Trump’s decision to waive sanctions against Russia as Putin continues his brutal war of aggression against Ukraine dishonors the legacy of the late Senator Lindsey Graham and is decidedly not in the national interests of the United States and should be reversed.

“Putin is a war criminal and only understands strength. Waiving Graham Act sanctions on Russia signals weakness at a moment that demands American strength.

“Now is the time to stand strong against Russian aggression, just as we did during the years of the first Trump Administration.”

Pence said that if Ukraine won the war, it “would be a victory for freedom and is squarely in the national interests of the United States”.

He added: “If Putin overruns Ukraine, I have no doubt it will only be a matter of time until Russia’s military crosses a border that our troops will have to deal with him.

“For the cause of freedom, for America’s national security and that of our allies including Ukraine, President Trump should restore sanctions under the Graham Act immediately, rescind the diesel deal with Russia and rally our allies to ensure Ukraine has the military support it needs to repel and defeat this Russian invasion once and for all.”

Trump has faced accusations that he limited Ukraine’s access to the Starshield network which helps to protect the country from Russian attacks.

The president has also called for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be replaced while agreeing a sanctions-busting deal with Vladimir Putin to buy Russian diesel.

Critics have said that is a desperate attempt to bring down pump prices for American motorists ahead of next month’s midterm elections, which Trump’s Republican Party is expected to lose heavily.

Former UK foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind described Trump’s behaviour as “repulsive” and “a disgrace”.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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Andy Burnham To ‘Double Down’ On Support For Ukraine As Zelenskyy Visits UK

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Britain will double down on its support for Ukraine despite Donald Trump calling for Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be replaced as its president.

Andy Burnham said that the UK is ready to go “further and faster” in its backing for Kyiv.

That will include £45 million-worth of surface-to-air missiles and urging other countries to join the UK in banning Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

On Wednesday, the PM will welcome Zelenskyy to Downing Street for the first time time since he replaced Keir Starmer in July.

The meeting takes place in the wake of Trump agreeing a deal to buy Russian diesel in a move which will help to boost Vladimir Putin’s warchest.

He then followed that up by attacking Zelenskyy and demanding that he be removed from office.

Burnham’s invitation for the Ukrainian president to visit No.10, made in a phone call between the pair on Saturday, will be seen as a direct riposte to Trump.

The PM said: “Our rock-solid support to Ukraine is vital for keeping us safe here in the UK and ensuring those on the frontlines have the equipment they need to push back Russia.

“My message to the Ukrainian people could not be clearer, we are with you for as long as it takes, and we will go further and faster in our support to back your courageous fight for peace in Europe.

“It is not just the right thing to do, but it’s the necessary thing to do. Russia’s aggression cannot be allowed to succeed on our continent.”

Chancellor John Healey said: “Conflict in the Middle East and in Europe is hitting people across the world.

“As the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Putin continues, our commitment to the Ukrainian people is unshakeable.

“I urge partners to back the ban on Russian LNG, like we have done in the UK, to curtail the war chest funding Putin so desperately wants.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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‘Absolutely Vile’: Donald Trump Slammed For Urging Ukraine To Ease Up On Russian Attacks

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Donald Trump has been slammed after he told Ukraine to ease up on bombing Russia because it is harming the world economy.

The US president said America had told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky “to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia”.

“Let him go after targets, but not diesel fuel, because he’s causing a shortage of diesel,” he said while attending the Irish Open golf championship at the Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, County Clare.

“This isn’t done by the Middle East, this is done by what’s happening in Russia and Ukraine. We spoke to Mr Zelenskyy about it. There are plenty of other targets.

“Don’t hit diesel fuel because that’s hurting the world. We don’t want him to hit diesel fuel. He’s hitting diesel refineries.”

Online critics accused Trump of doing the Kremlin’s bidding – and ignoring the impact of his decision to go to war in Iran on global oil prices because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

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Diane Abbott Dubbed ‘Putin’s Useful Idiot’ For Claiming Russian Threat Is ‘Nato Fiction’

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Diane Abbott has been dubbed “Putin’s useful idiot” after she downplayed the threat posed to the West by Russia.

The veteran Labour MP said it was “a Nato fiction” being used to justify a boost in defence spending, which she opposes.

Her comments come just a month after it emerged she had previously described the war in Ukraine as “a Nato campaign against Russia”.

Andy Burnham has insisted that the UK will hit Nato’s target of spending 3.5% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) on defence by 2035.

In a post on X, Abbott said: “The imminent threat from Russia is a Nato fiction to justify their complete capitulation to Trump’s demands for more military spending. The increase should not go ahead.”

Her comments sparked an angry backlash from politicians and pro-Ukraine campaigners.

A spokesman for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “Those views are reprehensible. Ukraine is an innocent party in this. Everyone should be foursquare behind Ukraine and against Russian aggression.”

Posting on X, Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty said Abbott was “playing the role of Putin’s useful idiot”.

“To rail against increased defence spending by claiming the threat Russia pose is ‘a Nato fiction’ shows she is dangerously out of touch,” he said.

“Over four years into the war in Ukraine, and with escalating sub-threshold activity, we are agreed that increasing defence spending is a matter of national security. It beggars belief that a senior Labour politician could be so naïve.”

The Ukraine Solidarity Campaign said: “There are legitimate debates to be had about defence spending.

“Denying the Russian regime is a threat to democracy all over the world is not legitimate, particularly when the speaker describes Russia’s war on Ukraine as ‘the Nato campaign against Russia’.”

Abbott, the longest serving female MP in the Commons, lost the Labour whip last year after she argued in a letter to The Observer in 2023 that Jewish, Irish and Traveller communities experience prejudice rather than racism.

She got the whip back after Burnham replaced Keir Starmer as prime minister in July.

A No.10 spokesman said: “As the PM said yesterday, the UK stands in full solidarity with Germany following Russia’s egregious and reckless attack in Leipzig.

“Our commitment to supporting Ukraine from Russia’s illegal invasion is ironclad.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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Ukrainian MP Calls Out ‘Moment Of Weakness’ From UK Over Russian Sanctions

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A Ukrainian MP has called out the UK for its “moment of weakness” after the government decided to continue allowing the import of Russian oil products.

Labour triggered intense backlash this week after it declared it was pushing back plans to close a loophole in its sanctions against Moscow.

The government unveiled a set of temporary licences which will allow diesel and jet fuel – refined in third countries but made from Russian oil – into the country.

Ministers insist the ban will come in eventually, but chief secretary to the prime minister Darren Jones refused to give any indication of a timeline when speaking to Sky News.

Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik said the announcement came as a “surprise” to her, and described it as a “point of weakness”.

“At first it was a surprise because the United Kingdom is one of the countries that first has been our strongest partner, but also a country where all the parties are supportive of Ukraine, on different levels,” she told Sky News.

“So to hear that there was this like moment of weakness, a point of weakness was surprising. And I believe this is what was discussed between the [Ukrainian] president and the prime minister.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer spoke on the phone on Wednesday evening.

She continued: “But let me tell you this, no matter what happens, Russia is always laughing that Europe is paying for the war from both pockets, from one supporting Ukraine and from another one paying for Russian gas and oil.

“Is it worthy of continuing doing that? Because it is definitely worthy of supporting Ukraine. And we really hope that all our partners, all European countries, will every day go away from purchasing Russian gas and oil rather than trying to move back a little bit.”

Jones tried to clear up some of the confusion around the controversial decision on Sunday, saying it was “totally wrong” to say the decision stemmed from concerns around jet fuel shortages linked to the war in Iran.

He said: “No, that’s totally wrong. Totally wrong.

“One of my jobs in the Cabinet Office is to chair contingency planning, and I’ve been spending many hours doing that in relation to the impact of the Middle East on the UK.”

Jones said the UK has other sources from around the world to rely on.

However, the decision still stunned shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel.

She said: “When the government says they’re introducing new sanctions, they might be introducing them – but there’s no framework for that. There’s no date coming forward. And in the meantime, they’re now allowing and enabling Russian imported oil to come into the United Kingdom.

“So they’ve contradicted themselves. And clearly that is not helpful when it comes to the Ukraine conflict at all.”

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Donald Trump Once Again Sides With Vladimir Putin Over The Ukraine War

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Donald Trump has once again sided with Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war – and appeared to take another sly dig at Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The US president insisted Russia’s leader “was ready to make a deal a while ago” to end the conflict.

But in an apparent reference to Zelenskyy, he claimed “some people made it difficult for him”.

His comments, in the Oval Office on Wednesday, came as the deadlock in the war continues more than four years after Putin started it by ordering his troops to invade Uklraine.

Repeated attempts by Trump to end the conflict have failed after Ukraine rejected Russian demands to hand over territory which they have failed to take by force.

Speaking about his most recent phone conversation with the Russian president, Trump said: “I said before you help me I want to end your war. We had a good talk, I’ve known him a long time.

“I think he was ready to make a deal a while ago. I think some people made it difficult for him to make a deal.”

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Trump says he had a “good talk” with war criminal Vladimir Putin, who he claims wants to end the war:

“He was ready to make a deal a while ago but some people made it difficult for him to make a deal.”

By “some people,” Trump likely refers to President Zelenskyy, who refused to… pic.twitter.com/NVfx1o9OrA

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) April 29, 2026

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Trump says he had a “good talk” with war criminal Vladimir Putin, who he claims wants to end the war:

“He was ready to make a deal a while ago but some people made it difficult for him to make a deal.”

By “some people,” Trump likely refers to President Zelenskyy, who refused to… pic.twitter.com/NVfx1o9OrA

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) April 29, 2026

Trump has regularly repeated Kremlin talking points about the war since being re-elected president in 2024.

Most notably, he has claimed that Ukraine, rather than Russia, actually started the conflict.

Speaking last year, the president said: “Russia is a powerful military nation.

“You know, whether people like it or not, it’s a powerful nation. It’s a much bigger nation. You don’t do that. You don’t take on a nation that’s 10 times your size.”

He also said Ukraine provoked the war by trying to get too close to Nato and the West.

“It was always a no-no, you could not. Russia said, ‘We don’t want the so-called opponent or the enemy,’ let’s use that term, ‘We don’t want them on our border.’ And they were right.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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