Donald Trump’s ‘direct’ approach with Vladimir Putin is a double blow, not only to Ukraine – but to the future of Europe, a Russian military expert in the UK has warned.

It is the moment that Europeans have been anticipating for months since the Republican promised to end Russia’s bloodshed in his first 24 hours in the White House – a ceasefire.

The US president spoke with both Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky on the phone last night, with all of them agreeing that they want to make a deal.

Yet, there is little faith that negotiations – led by the US – will end in lasting security guarantees and will not result in another war in Europe in the near future.

Keir Giles, a leading analyst on European defence and Russia at Chatham House in London, said that even before official talks have started, the US has been bowing down to Russia’s demands.

‘A promise by Trump of peace for our time, achieved through rewarding an aggressor, is worth little when held against Russia’s ongoing preparations for further war,’ he said.

Other experts assured Metro that the way this war is resolved will serve ‘as a litmus test for all would-be dictators and tyrants’.

What could a Ukraine-Russia peace deal look like?

Ukraine is definitely not getting what it wants – a Nato membership and the return of its borders from 2014, including the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula. That is for sure.

Ivan Stupak, a military expert and ex-SBU officer, told Metro that Ukrainians are looking for an immediate ceasefire due to major losses in manpower and a strained economy.

‘We are realising that it is impossible to reach Ukrainian borders from 2022 and even 2022. A Nato membership is an illusion,’ he said.

Stupak speculated that a US-led plan would include freezing of the current frontline, establishing a demilitarized zone and possibly stationing UN peacekeepers there.

For Ukraine, it all comes down to making sure that Russia does not renew its invasion as soon as it sees an opportunity.

Zelensky has also stressed that any deal should involve Ukraine, rather than just an agreement between Trump and Putin.

But Russia is definitely getting more than it deserves, experts have warned.

Putin may claim that he is ready for talks but Russian officials continue to refer to a proposal from June 2024.

Under that plan Russia would get to keep all the Ukrainian territory it has seized, plus some more land still under Ukrainian control.

Ukraine would not be allowed to join Nato and western sanctions against Russia would be scrapped.

What are the implications for Europe?

Experts have warned that appeasing the Russian dictator could result in history repeating itself and only embolden his imperialistic desires to take over more land on the continent.

Wayne Jordash KC, president of Global Rights Compliance stressed that the war is not just about Ukraine’s independence, but also ‘a battle for the democratic principles and values of the civilised world.’

Keir Giles also said: ‘With acceptance that Russia can retain the territory it has seized in exchange for a plea for peace, the parallels with 1938 could only be clearer if Trump had held up a note and said Putin had assured him that he had no further territorial ambitions in Europe.

‘Credible security guarantees for Ukraine from the US and Nato have been explicitly ruled out by Hegseth.

‘But there are few doubts among the most reliably accurate observers of Moscow that in their absence, any ceasefire will be brief and give Russia a welcome breathing space to rebuild its land forces faster without Ukraine inconveniently destroying them at the same time.’

How is Trump’s relationship with Putin impacting the deal?

Trump has a history of positive and admiring comments about Putin that have long prompted criticism that he is ‘soft on Russia’.

During this first term in the White House, he described the war leader as ‘strong’ and ‘smart’ and later said he ‘got along great’ with him.

And Putin said last month he had always had ‘pragmatic and trusting’ relations with the US president.

Reflecting the nature of their relationship, Russian state-controlled media painted their call as a major success for the Kremlin.

News agency RIA Novosti said in an opinion column: ‘The US finally hurt Zelensky for real,’ adding that Trump had found ‘common ground’ with Putin.

‘This means that the formula “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” – a sacred cow for Zelensky, the EU and the previous US administration – no longer exists.

‘Moreover, the opinion of Kyiv and Brussels (the EU) is of no interest to Trump at all,’ it added.

Russian popular pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda went even further and published a column stating in the headline that ‘Trump signed Zelensky’s death sentence’.

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Rachel Reeves has been accused of using company money to purchase birthday gifts for her colleagues before she became an MP.

The Chancellor is claimed to have used a company card to purchase wine, perfume and paying for a lavish leaving do for a co-worker – as well as claiming expenses on a gift of earrings for her PA – while working at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS).

A spokesperson for Reeves said all expenses during her time at the firm were ‘submitted and signed off in the proper way’.

Downing Street has said Sir Keir Starmer backed the Chancellor, stating that Reeves has integrity and he has no concerns about her conduct.

According to BBC News, the bank’s Internal Audit department launched an investigation following a complaint from a whistleblower.

A ‘senior source’ told the broadcaster that evidence of wrongdoing by Reeves and two other senior managers was found, but the inquiry did not go further and it appears a formal conclusion was never reached.

The woman who now serves as the UK’s first female Chancellor worked at HBOS for around three years between March 2006 and April 2009 – a tumultuous time in financial history.

As part of her managerial role, she had access to a ‘Motivation’ card, which could be used to buy rewards for workers who had gone the extra mile.

It was this card that Reeves is reported to have used to buy birthday gifts for her colleagues.

BBC News cited 11 ex-employees who said they had believed it was against the rules to buy such items with the card – though a memo instructing how to use the card mentioned no such restrictions.

Another staff member named Jane Wayper told the broadcaster ‘birthday gifts and Christmas presents could be purchased using Motivation cards’, adding ‘staff were encouraged to do so for their teams’.

The story was published alongside an investigation into the Chancellor’s CV on professional networking site LinkedIn, which accused her of exaggerating the length of time she spent working at the Bank of England.

After the article was published, the dates of her career moves were altered on the site with her spokesperson blaming an administrative error for the discrepancy.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch suggested the Chancellor still needs to ‘come clean’ about certain aspects of the story.

In a post on X, she said: ‘The BBC’s investigation raises serious questions for Rachel Reeves.

‘Keir Starmer said “restoring trust in politics is the great test of our era”. Until she comes clean – not just about her CV but about the circumstances in which she left HBOS, no one will take him seriously.’

Asked whether the Prime Minister still thought Reeves had integrity after the edits to her LinkedIn page, a Downing Street spokesman said: ‘Yes.

‘The Chancellor and the Prime Minister are working hand in hand to deliver on the priorities, the plan for change, and to deliver the higher growth and the improvements in living standards that the country needs.’

The Number 10 official added he could not answer questions about time spent by Cabinet ministers in previous jobs prior to Government.

He said that the Chancellor had gone through the ‘ministerial declaration process’ which all members of Cabinet go through when asked if she disclosed that there had been an investigation into her expenses before she was an MP.

‘Obviously the Chancellor, like every Cabinet member, has been through that process. The process is governed by the independent adviser. Obviously I can’t get into detail,’ the spokesman said.

A spokesperson for Rachel Reeves said: ‘Rachel is proud of the work she did at HBOS and the teams that she led, it is 16 years since she left the bank and the first time she was made aware of these claims was when approached by journalists.

‘She was not aware of an investigation nor was she interviewed, and she did not face any disciplinary action on this or any other matters. All expenses were submitted and signed off in the proper way.

‘Several former colleagues from her time at the bank, including HBOS’ former HR business partner, have corroborated this account.

‘Rachel left HBOS in 2009 on good terms.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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