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A cabinet minister had a bleak reminder for the US this morning as American officials started early peace talks with Russia.
The transport secretary Heidi Alexander recalled how the west made major “mistakes” when withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in 2021, and now the Middle Eastern country has fallen back into the Taliban’s hands.
Though they are not internationally recognised as the legitimate government in Afghanistan, the Taliban managed to reclaim power two decades after they were first removed by a US-led military coalition.
Donald Trump’s diplomats met with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia this morning, but did not invite Ukraine – or any European representatives – to the table.
Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Alexander said: “It is vital that we don’t make the same mistakes as we did in Afghanistan, when the US spoke directly to the Taliban, not involving the Afghan government.
“And I’m sure president Trump wouldn’t want to repeat those mistakes again.”
However, presenter Richard Madeley replied: “He’s doing exactly that as we speak! Sorry to interrupt, but that is precisely what is happening right now in Saudi Arabia.
“That mistake, if you want to call it that is being repeated in Saudi Arabia right now, it is only America and Russia that are at those talks.
“That’s exactly what happened in Afghanistan, so it is being repeated!”
Alexander just said: “It is really important that we have dialogue between the US and our European allies, I think the prime minster and the UK government can be an important bridge in those discussions.
“I think Keir has shown real leadership is saying that we are willing to consider what our role should be, but also that Europe is clear that we are going to have to step up to the plate for our security.”
The prime minister is set to travel to Washington DC next week to speak to Trump about the ongoing war in Ukraine.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has claimed these talks with Russia are just preliminary discussions to see if Russia is ready to end the war.
However, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly said there is to be no peace deal without Ukraine’s involvement.
He said: “We cannot accept it, as an independent country.”
There are also ongoing worries that the US will be more lenient in discussions with Moscow, after top Trump officials suggested Ukraine might have to cede occupied land to Russia and renounce its ambitions to join Nato.
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