Trump's counter-terrorism chief says British troops could be stationed in Ukraine if ceasefire is agreed

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By Henry Moore

Donald Trump’s counter-terrorism chief has told LBC the President-elect may expect British troops to be stationed in Ukraine to maintain the peace if a ceasefire is agreed.

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Sebastian Gorka told LBC’s Tom Swarbrick that any peace found in Ukraine will have to be maintained by Nato member states, including the UK.

Gorka, who has been described as “as dangerous as he is unqualified”, said Britain will have to play a “key role” in peacekeeping.

Donald Trump has pledged to end Putin’s war on Ukraine within 24 hours of entering office next month and last week urged Putin to end his war.

Read more: NATO fighters scrambled as Russia launches major attack on Ukraine’s energy grid

He wrote on social media: "Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness".

Speaking to LBC, Gorka said: "We're 5,000 miles away, this horrific tragedy is on your doorstep so he's going to expect European powers to step up to the plate.

“Let me put it this way...without pre-empting the Commander in Chief, we have always had a special relationship with London and if Britain is to maintain its serious position as a European power it would be peculiar if it didn't have a role to play in stabilising that region and that conflict so from a hypothetical, it would be strange if Britain weren't part of the solution".

Asked on NBC's Meet the Press about whether he is making efforts to end the war which began in February 2022, the incoming US President said: "I am."

He refused to answer whether he had spoken to Putin since his election win in November.

"I don't want to say anything about that, because I don't want to do anything that could impede the negotiation," he said.

Mr Trump's call for an immediate ceasefire went beyond the public policy stands taken by the Biden administration and Ukraine and drew a cautious response from Mr Zelenskyy.

"Kyiv would like to close a deal," Mr Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. "There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin."

"I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!" Mr Trump added, referring to mediation efforts by China that many in the West have seen as favouring Russia.