keep the peace

The president has thus far been reluctant to go down that route, suggesting the presence of US mining firms on the ground in Ukraine would be enough to keep the peace.

Will Trump be more open to the idea that the United States should play a role guaranteeing post-war Ukraine's security, giving air, logistics and intelligence cover to European forces helping to keep the peace on the ground?

"We have let ourselves be fooled into believing that international law alone can keep the peace" when "faced with a regime with no respect for the law".

He said, in total, a force to keep the peace would require about 100,000 troops and the UK would have to supply "quite a proportion of that and we really couldn't do it".

Hegseth said it was "unrealistic" to think Ukraine could win back its sovereign territory occupied by Russia, as was its demand for Nato membership, adding it was up to European and not US troops to keep the peace.