Lord Mandelson’s suggestion that Volodymyr Zelenskyy should provide greater support for U.S. peace efforts and that Ukraine should unilaterally ceasefire has met with pushback, including statements from a UK defense minister clarifying that this does not represent government policy. Opposition parties have also voiced criticism, with the Liberal Democrats arguing that Mandelson should not dictate what actions President Zelenskyy should take. In comments to ABC News, Mandelson, who was selected by Keir Starmer to maintain ties with the Trump administration, called for a significant reset in relations between the U.S. and Ukraine following Trump’s criticism of Zelenskyy at a recent Oval Office meeting. He emphasized the need for Zelenskyy’s full support for Trump’s initiative to end the war and his belief that Ukraine should be the first to commit to a ceasefire. However, the armed forces minister Luke Pollard firmly stated that Mandelson’s suggestions do not align with government policy, affirming ongoing diplomatic talks regarding the peace process. Senior figures from both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives have expressed their disagreement with Mandelson’s stance, with Ed Davey questioning the government’s actual position and James Cleverly emphasizing the ambassador’s role in communicating government opinion rather than personal views.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/03/peter-mandelson-ukraine-comments-not-government-policy-minister