Keir Starmer’s spokesman has rejected Donald Trump’s claim that Ukraine could cease to exist after its war with Russia.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, the prime minister’s representative said the UK has always focused on making sure Ukraine emerges as a “sovereign territory”, for the sake of both European and British security.

It comes after the US president was asked by Fox News on Sunday: “Are you comfortable with that, the fact that you walked away and Ukraine may not survive?”

Trump replied: “Well it may not survive anyway, but, you know, we have some weaknesses with Russia. You know, it takes two.”

Downing Street has mostly avoided any direct contradiction of the White House in recent weeks, despite their differing views.

The UK government has pitched itself as a diplomatic bridge between the US and Europe, as the States pulls away from its alliance with Ukraine and towards Russia in a bid to end the war as soon as possible.

Trump even paused American military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine to force its president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the negotiation table. 

The prime minister’s spokesperson said:” Our focus is on supporting Ukraine and ensuring a sovereign and secure Ukraine, working on the proposals for a lasting and durable peace.

“A lasting peace is not just vital for Ukraine’s security, it’s vital for our security.

“Our focus is on supporting Ukraine and ensuring a sovereign and secure Ukraine, working on the proposals for a lasting and durable peace.

“A lasting peace is not just vital for Ukraine’s security, it’s vital for our security.

“We’ve always said that Ukraine, at the other end of this process, must emerge as a sovereign territory as Ukraine’s security is not just important for Ukraine’s security but also European security and our security.”

His remarks come after Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said the government does not want to respond to everything that comes out of the White House.

I’ve learnt in recent weeks that’s the best way to conduct interviews is not to see everything through the lens of what’s been said in the United States,”  he said. “We’ve taken a sensible decision, I think, not to conduct our diplomacy like that.”