Countries cannot be “dragooned” into the so-called coalition of the willing by the UK, a senior minister has suggested.
Pat McFadden has said that nations have to “step forward themselves” if they want to be part of the group of nations willing to defend a peace deal in Ukraine.
The UK and France have been leading efforts to get countries to commit to the peacekeeping coalition.
Not all the countries interested in the plan would necessarily provide troops to a peacekeeping force, it is understood, but they could potentially contribute in other ways.
Asked on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg how many countries have said they would be willing to take part, chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster McFadden said: “These discussions are going on, I think it’s important to have European countries involved in this.
“The phrase ‘step up’ has been used quite a lot in recent weeks. The UK is stepping up.
“The prime minister certainly stepped up and other countries have indicated that they want to do that.
“Of course, coalition of the willing means people have to be up for it. They have to step forward themselves, they can’t be dragooned by us.
“But the UK and the prime minister is playing an important role in those discussions, and will continue to do that.”
On Saturday, Keir Starmer welcomed a commitment from Australia to “consider contributing” to the coalition after a phone call with Anthony Albanese.
Diplomatic efforts to secure a peace deal will continue this week, with talks due between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia.
Defence Secretary John Healey is also expected to join discussions with his own counterparts.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has said that Ukraine was able to take money out of the US “under Biden like candy from a baby”.
Speaking to Fox News in an interview on Sunday, referring to Volodymyr Zelensky, the US president said: “It was like taking candy from a baby what he did.
“He’s a smart guy and he’s a tough guy and he took money out of this country under Biden like candy from a baby. It was so easy.
Trump added: “I just don’t think he’s grateful.”
It comes after the White House suspended military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv in the wake of the confrontation between Trump and Zelensky at the end of February.
McFadden did not say whether it was “wrong” for the US to stop sharing satellite imagery but said that America is trying to “bring the war to an end”.
Asked whether it was “wrong”, McFadden told Sky News’ sunday morning with Trevor Phillips: “Well, it’s their decision. It’s not something that we’ve done.
“We support Ukraine, we continue to supply Ukraine with weapons, with intelligence support, with help on the cyber front, because we believe that they’re engaged in a really important fight for their country’s freedom and the capacity to decide their own future.”
Pushed further on whether the White House bears any responsibility for casualties in recent days in Ukraine, McFadden said: “With regard to the United States, what they’re trying to do is bring the war to an end. I think that aim is shared by everyone.
“What we want to secure is not just an end to the fighting, but a peace that lasts, and that has underlined every action the prime minister has taken in recent weeks, because it will do nothing to secure Ukraine’s future if we have a temporary ceasefire, which lasts only as long as president Putin wants it to.”
By Caitlin Doherty and Harry Taylor, PA
