Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s summit on Ukraine could be a “first step towards serious negotiations” for peace, the Defence Secretary has suggested.
John Healey said the end to any conflict “must come from diplomacy”, before Friday’s meeting between the two leaders in Alaska.
European leaders are braced for the meeting and have expressed hope about the prospect of a potential ceasefire after a joint call with US president Mr Trump earlier this week.
Mr Trump was seen boarding Air Force One to head to the summit around lunchtime UK time on Friday. He had earlier posted “HIGH STAKES!!!” on his TruthSocial platform.
Speaking to reporters on his way to the talks, he said there is a “possibility” of the US offering security guarantees to Kyiv alongside European powers, but “not in the form of Nato”.
He said it will be up to the Ukrainians to decide whether to concede land to Mr Putin as part of a peace deal, but added: “I think they’ll make the proper decision.”
Mr Trump said he is “not here to negotiate for Ukraine”, adding: “I’m here to get them at a table.”
Cabinet minister Mr Healey was asked what lessons from VJ Day – which is being commemorated on Friday – could be applied in the present day ahead of Mr Trump meeting the Russian leader.
He told BBC Breakfast: “The first lesson is that military and fighting solves nothing in the end, and that the end to war must come through talking, must come from diplomacy.
“So today in Alaska is what I hope, we all hope to see, a first step towards serious negotiations.”
On Thursday, Mr Trump suggested European leaders could be invited to a second meeting if Friday’s summit is successful.
Speaking at the White House, he said: “We have a meeting with President (Vladimir) Putin tomorrow, I think it’s going to be a good meeting.
“But the more important meeting will be the second meeting that we’re having. We’re going to have a meeting with President Putin, (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky, myself, and maybe we’ll bring some of the European leaders along. Maybe not.”
Mr Healey dismissed suggestions the UK’s approach to the war is to “watch and wait”.
He told the BBC: “The UK’s role is to stand with Ukraine on the battlefield and in the negotiations, and prepare, as we have been, leading 30 other nations with military planning for a ceasefire and a secure peace through what we call the coalition of the willing.
“Our role is to lead the charge, as we have been, on more intensive diplomacy, to lead the charge on military aid to Ukraine so that we don’t jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the current war, and being ready also to step-up economic pressure on Putin if he’s not willing to take the talks seriously.”
Sir Keir Starmer met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, and the pair expressed cautious optimism about the prospect of a truce “as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious” about ending the war, a Downing Street statement said.
Concerns linger over the prospect of Kyiv being excluded from negotiations over its own future, and pressured to cede territory, after the US leader suggested any agreement may need to involve “swapping of land”.
Ukraine has already rejected any proposal that would compromise its borders.
