In a hard-hitting foreign policy speech at the Policy Exchange think tank, Badenoch cautioned that the era of “Pax Americana”—world peace maintained by the US—was “evolving, potentially even ending.”
The British Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has criticised United States President, Donald Trump’s approach to securing peace in Ukraine, warning that his plan would ultimately “reward” Vladimir Putin for his invasion.
In a hard-hitting foreign policy speech at the Policy Exchange think tank, Badenoch cautioned that the era of “Pax Americana”—world peace maintained by the US—was “evolving, potentially even ending.”
She directly criticised Trump for calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator,” asserting, “Putin is a dictator,” and adding that she would be happy to tell Trump this to his face, Mail Online reports.
Badenoch stressed the importance of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s upcoming visit to the White House, stating it was “absolutely critical” to move Trump away from aligning with the Kremlin.
“An end to the war is being negotiated while a fifth of Ukrainian territory is under enemy occupation,” she warned.
“The danger is that aggression does not merely go unpunished, but ends up rewarded. Russia and other authoritarian regimes will be emboldened if that is how this war ends.”
She argued that the previous Conservative government’s commitment to increasing defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2030 was no longer sufficient.
“2.5 per cent by 2030 is now no longer sufficient,” she said, urging Starmer to consider redirecting development aid and welfare funding to defence.
“I will back the Prime Minister in taking those difficult decisions to increase defence spending,” she stated.
“For example, he should consider whether some of the 0.5% currently spent on development aid should be repurposed, at least in the short term, towards defence and security. And he should also look at making welfare savings to fund increased defence expenditure.”
Starmer is preparing for a high-stakes meeting with Trump to repair Western ties following the US voting alongside Russia, China, and North Korea on UN resolutions regarding Ukraine.
Concerns have been raised that Starmer faces an uphill battle, particularly after Trump suggested Europe should provide security for Ukraine if he brokers a peace deal with Moscow.
During a meeting in Washington, Trump also took aim at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, referring to him as “governor” and implying Canada should become a US state.
He further reiterated plans to impose “reciprocal” tariffs over VAT, despite it being a sales tax rather than an import duty.
However, a potential agreement between the US and Ukraine on rare earth minerals has provided some hope, with supporters arguing it could encourage long-term American support for Kyiv.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed optimism, stating there is “good stuff” in the latest draft of the deal and that the US would only benefit if Ukraine remained “free, sovereign, and secure.”
“There’s no way America is going to get its hands on any proceeds from Ukrainian minerals until there is a free, sovereign, and secure Ukraine,” Johnson told LBC. “That is a massive, massive prize, and I think, worth going for.”
He suggested Trump was trying to show “the wackos who seem to support Putin” that he had secured something in return for America’s backing of Ukraine.