Healey to hold talks with US Defense Secretary on European peace proposals for Ukraine
Photo: John Healey, UK Minister of Defense (Getty Images)
UK Defense Minister John Healey will undertake a two-day visit to the US capital, Washington. He plans to meet with Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin to discuss support for Ukraine and the European peace proposals, according to The Guardian.
Officials told the British publication that the US Defense Secretary will review new peace proposals discussed by European leaders in London on Sunday at the summit.
However, it remains unclear whether Healey will insist on renewing US military aid to Ukraine.
Before his visit to Washington, the UK Defense Minister stated that following meetings last week, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer "was clear following his meetings over the past week, that we will continue our dialogue with friends and allies to secure a path to a lasting peace in Ukraine."
The British and US officials are scheduled to meet on Thursday.
UK and US Defense Ministers to discuss peace plan for Ukraine
On Monday afternoon, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told British MPs that he did not expect the US to reduce military aid to Ukraine. However, later that night, it was reported that US President Donald Trump had taken such a step following a meeting at the White House, which included several senior administration officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegset.
Sources at the UK Ministry of Defence said that Healey's trip was organized last Tuesday and, therefore, was not a response to the recent decision by Washington to pause assistance to Ukraine.
Last week, American and British officials discussed London's announcement of an increase in military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, partly through cuts to the aid budget.
UK Ministry of Defence briefings indicate that Gili and Hegset will "discuss the plan for peace in Ukraine being worked on by the US, UK, France."
Additionally, talks will cover other mutual defense matters, including efforts to combat ISIS in the Middle East.
Starmer and Trump discuss peace plan as London and Paris push for US support
London and Paris are seeking Washington's backing for Ukraine's peace proposals, which UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is developing alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and other European leaders.
Western media reports indicate that during a meeting with President Trump at the White House last Thursday, Starmer was unable to convince the US president to support the plan.
However, the two leaders stayed in close contact over the weekend. On Monday evening, Downing Street confirmed that Starmer spoke again with Trump.
The details of their latest conversation remain unclear, but Starmer’s spokesperson noted that the message delivered to the prime minister's cabinet on Tuesday morning aligns with what was discussed with Trump. The UK prime minister reassured his ministers that the United States remains an "indispensable" ally, and emphasized that "everyone" is on board with the plan for lasting peace.
Starmer also spoke with Zelenskyy on Tuesday, acting as an intermediary between the Ukrainian leader and the US, who are believed to have not communicated directly after their disagreement last Friday.
They discussed the peace proposals voiced by Zelenskyy earlier that day. The Ukrainian president called for a "truce in the skies," including a ban on missiles, long-range drones, and bombs targeting energy and other civilian infrastructure, as well as a naval ceasefire, contingent on Russia taking similar steps.
It is also noted that Starmer will not attend the special EU summit on Thursday to discuss continued support for Ukraine, although Zelenskyy has been invited to the event.
On March 4, during their conversation, Starmer informed Zelenskyy about the discussion he had with Trump the previous day.
Additionally, President Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine and Europe would soon prepare a plan for sustainable peace.
