Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy, has dismissed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s plans for Ukraine.
The Prime Minister has proposed a “coalition of the willing,” consisting of several European and NATO countries that could provide ground troops in Ukraine after a ceasefire.
Mr. Witkoff, who is leading US ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and Russia, labeled Sir Keir’s plans as a “combination of a posture and a pose” in an interview with pro-Trump journalist Tucker Carlson.
He accused the Prime Minister of adopting a “simplistic” view, suggesting that leaders “have all got to be like Winston Churchill.”
“The Russians are going to march across Europe. I think that’s preposterous. We have something called NATO that we didn’t have in World War Two,” Mr. Witkoff said.
Mr. Witkoff recently met with the Russian president in Moscow and informed Carlson, “I like Vladimir Putin. I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy,” and believed he was “straight up” with him.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves defended the Prime Minister in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC after being shown the Carlson clip.
“We can see the impact of our Prime Minister’s diplomatic efforts, bringing together European leaders and leaders from other countries around the world,” she said.

The Chancellor also stated that she was not deterred by Mr. Witkoff’s comments.
She added: “We will need to ensure that if there is a ceasefire, it can be enforced, and that’s what our Prime Minister, along with allies around the world, is trying to secure.”
Sir Ed Davey, speaking in Harrogate on Sunday, was more direct in his criticism of Mr. Witkoff’s comments.
The Liberal Democrat leader said: “Trump’s so-called ‘special’ envoy might dismiss British leadership as pointless posturing, but we know what it really is.
“Britain leading in Europe again as we have done in the greatest moments of our nation’s history.”
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Ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin on Monday in Saudi Arabia, with both nations expected to hold indirect talks mediated by the US.
The hope is that both sides will agree to pause long-range attacks on energy facilities and civilian infrastructure.
On Sunday, Mr. Witkoff expressed optimism ahead of the high-stakes talks, stating he believed President Putin is ready to end the conflict.
“I feel that he wants peace,” he told Fox News.
“I think you’re going to see in Saudi Arabia on Monday some real progress, particularly as it affects a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between both countries. And from that, you’ll naturally gravitate into a full-on shooting ceasefire,” Mr. Witkoff said.