The US under Donald Trump’s leadership will stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes” to defeat Vladimir Putin and Russia, the defence secretary has insisted.
John Healey said that NATO countries have “recommitted to stepping up support for Ukraine”, and that there is bipartisan support for that in the US Congress.
Trump’s victory has prompted questions about what will happen to US support for Ukraine.
On the campaign trail, the president-elect repeatedly claimed he would end the war on “day one”, leading to fears he could attempt to force Kyiv to accept land lost to Russia.
In June, Trump called Zelenskyy “the greatest salesman of any politician that’s ever lived” in response to Kyiv’s push to secure more US funding.
Healey was asked on Sky News on Monday morning whether Ukraine’s safety has been compromised since Trump was re-elected US president.
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The defence secretary responded: “It is certainly the case that the US has been the outstanding supporter of Ukraine and that is because on a bipartisan basis in the US they recognise the importance of stopping big countries redrawing international boundaries by force and allowing aggressors like Putin to launch illegal invasions.
Pressed again on the point, Healey said: “And as far as president Trump goes, he recognises that countries get security through strength, just as alliances like Nato do.
“And I expect the US to remain alongside allies like the UK standing with Ukraine for as long as it takes to prevail over Putin’s invasion.”
The comments come after Donald Trump Jr, the president-elect’s eldest son, appeared to double down on his father’s campaign pledge to cut funding for Ukraine.
Trump Jr shared a clip on Instagram, originally posted by former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, which read: “POV [point of view]: You’re 38 days from losing your allowance” over a video of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his victory last week.
In a statement, Zelenskyy said he appreciated Trump’s “commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ approach” to global affairs and that the principle could “bring just peace in Ukraine closer”.
“I am hopeful that we will put it into action together. We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump’s decisive leadership”, he added.
Healey also claimed that the US will not “turn away from Nato” when Trump moves into the White House for the second time.
Asked if the UK would be in a weak and exposed position if the US was to turn away from the alliance, Healey told Sky News: “No, we wouldn’t be in a weak position, I don’t expect the US to turn away from Nato. They recognise the importance of the alliance. They recognise the importance of avoiding further conflict in Europe.
“But I do say, and I have argued for some time, that the European nations in Nato need to do more of the heavy lifting.”
He added: “It is one of the reasons that the UK and Germany have forged now within four months of becoming a new government the deep new defence agreement. It is part of reinforcing the European leadership in Nato and we will play our part in that.”
Josh Self is Editor of Politics.co.uk, follow him on X/Twitter here.
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