Britain has no intention of pressuring Ukraine to accept a peace deal, U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps insisted on Tuesday.
While speaking on the construction of new naval ships, Shapps was pressed on a report by The Sunday Times that British Foreign Secretary David Cameron had discussed a hypothetical deal between Russia and Ukraine during a meeting with former President Donald Trump.
According to a source that spoke to The Times, Cameron had asked Trump during an April meeting at Mar-a-Lago, "What are the best conditions in which you as president can make a deal in January? It’s both sides holding their lines and paying a price for that."
If accurate, such a proposal would run counter Cameron’s publicly stated position of "peace through strength, not appeasement and weakness."
Cameron had faced criticism for meeting with Trump, but downplayed the conversation saying it was "standard practice for ministers to meet opposition candidates as part of their routine international engagement."
When asked about Cameron’s alleged statement a spokesman for U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reiterated that Britain’s "position has not changed" and that "[Russian President Vladimir] Putin must fail."
"It is crucial, now more than ever in this conflict, that Putin is sent a very clear message that we will support Ukraine for as long as is necessary," the spokesperson said. "I’ve seen some anonymous source briefing. We do not recognize those reports."
In a statement, Sunak said: "I haven’t seen this Sunday Times article, so forgive me for that," according to Politico. "But what I can tell you is that you we have led when it comes to Ukraine."
Shapps backed up Sunak’s position, telling British media that the U.K. will aid Ukraine in its defense against Russia, but will not force negotiations.
"There is just no sense at all in which Britain would try to persuade, strong-arm or otherwise, Ukraine into accepting giving up some of their territory. That's a decision entirely for Ukraine," Shapps told Times Radio Tuesday.
"I don't think it's plausible at all for Putin to win this war. And it's important he doesn't."
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