Asenior Conservative MP has said it is time to consider the “possibility” that the US president is a Kremlin asset.
Graham Stuart, a former Foreign Office minister, issued the comment in response to Donald Trump’s decision to pause all military aid to Ukraine. The extraordinary move comes as the US administration seeks to pressure Volodymyr Zelenskyy to agree to an unconditional ceasefire with Russia.
A White House official said late on Monday night: “President [Trump] has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well.
“We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”
Trump also launched a fresh attack on Zelenskyy in a statement on social media. The Ukrainian president “won’t be around very long” if he does not commit to a ceasefire soon, he insisted.
Commenting on developments, Stuart posted to X: “We have to consider the possibility that president Trump is a Russian asset.
“If so, Trump’s acquisition is the crowning achievement of [Vladimir] Putin’s FSB career — and Europe is on its own.”
The stance echoes the position advocated by Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, who told the House of Commons on Monday that the UK needs to “reduce our dependency on the United States” as he fears “that president Trump is not a reliable ally with respect to Russia”.
Keir Starmer has attempted to act as a bridge between the United States and Europe, having hosting a summit of nineteen leaders, including EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Nato chief Mark Rutte, on Sunday.
Addressing MPs yesterday, the prime minister insisted the UK government will not “choose between” the US and Europe, as it attempts to secure a lasting, sustainable peace in Ukraine.
Starmer said: “I do want to be crystal clear. We must strengthen our relationship with America for our security, for our technology, for our trade and investment.”
The prime minister suggested that those who wish to pick sides between Europe and the United States are “unserious”.
He said: “We will never choose between either side of the Atlantic. In fact, if anything, the past week has shown that that idea is totally unserious.
“Because while some people may enjoy the simplicity of taking a side, this week has shown with total clarity that the US is vital in securing the peace we all want to see in Ukraine.”
The Scottish National Party and Conservative shadow minister Alicia Kearns have called for the invitation to Trump from the king for a second state visit to be rescinded, in light of the US president and Zelenskyy’s calamitous White House meeting on Friday.
Starmer rejected those demands on Monday and warned MPs that any solution to Ukraine and European security would need to be achieved by working “more closely” with the US president.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has described the US president’s decision to pause aid to Ukraine as “profoundly worrying”.
She said in a post on X: “It is clear that Britain and Europe must re-arm much faster if we want to provide Ukraine with more than just warm words of support.
“We must work to keep America in, and Russia out.”
