The vice-president dismissed any prospective succour for Ukraine from across the pond in a caustic interview with Fox News, which effectively dissed the “backstop” plan to patrol any ceasefire as the vague notion of “some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 years”.
Vance subsequently added that he did not mean the UK, which had “fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years and beyond”. But given that only the UK and France have pledged troops for any protection of Ukraine to date, that was a brusque, sorry-not-sorry sort of gesture.
That is aimed at forcing Kyiv into a peace deal, with a critical minerals deal imposed on terms which suit the US and weaken Ukraine’s ability to decide its own fate.
It also serves to remind us that America’s President believes he wields the real power in this scenario.
Starmer knows full well that he needs US backing to deter further Russian aggression. Without that it looks like the PM is exposing British soldiers to harm’s way and becoming more directly embroiled in a conflict with Moscow, or dissolving into a faux peace-keeping force – one which does not stop more war breaking out or which would require a clear mandate for a head-on clash with Russia.
For now, Starmer has successfully managed to be on friendly terms with the Trump aspiration of ending the war, while holding firm to his support for Zelensky. But there are three of them in this tricky marriage (even without the interventions of Vice-President Vance).
square KITTY DONALDSON
After another Trump humiliation, Starmer’s plan is in jeopardy
Read MoreIf the commander-in-chief says that he intends to stop arming Ukraine, or flirts with leaving Nato or imposing onerous conditions on US participation in Europe’s security, he probably means it.
That sounds OK – as far as OK goes nowadays. The difficulty begins when being nice to a mercurial American leader butts up against the necessity to make decisions which cost money and require stretching military commitments.
Anne McElvoy is host of the Power Play podcast for POLITICO
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