Labour has been forced to clarify that Lord Mandelson's call to back Donald Trump's Ukraine peace deal is "not Government policy" after the British ambassador to the US appeared to split with Sir Keir Starmer on American TV.
On Sunday, Mandelson told US broadcaster ABC that Volodymyr Zelensky and Europe should give their "unequivocal backing to the initiative President Trump is taking" to foster peace between Ukraine and Russia.
"Ukraine should be first to commit to a ceasefire and defy the Russians to follow," he added.
The long-time Labour grandee also called on the US and Ukraine to "get back on the same page" and urged Europe to "back the cause for a ceasefire".
Mandelson told ABC that Zelensky and Europe should give their 'unequivocal backing to the initiative President Trump is taking'
ABC
"The Europeans, and perhaps some other countries too, have got to consider how they are going to put forces on the ground to play their part in providing enduring security and deterrence for Ukraine," he said.
But following Starmer's multi-billion-pound push to arm Ukraine on Sunday, fears have been raised that Labour's "actual position" on the war is unclear.
"What is Mandelson up to?" Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey asked.
"You cannot square what the Prime Minister said this morning with this.
'You cannot square what the Prime Minister said this morning with this,' Sir Ed Davey said
PA"What is the Government's actual position?
"Our man in DC should be securing US protection for our brave Ukrainian allies, not telling President Zelensky what to do."
Asked whether Mandelson's remarks fell in line with Government policy, Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard told Sky News: "No. It's certainly right that Ukrainians want peace. I think of all the people on our continent that want peace, the Ukrainians want it the most."
MORE AS EUROPE STEPS UP FOR UKRAINE:
'That's not Government policy,' Luke Pollard said
PA
Pressed further on whether the ambassador misspoke, Pollard said: "That's not Government policy, and you wouldn't expect me to commentate on every up and down in negotiations."
"Our ambassador to the US was not right in that particular comment that he made," Pollard said.
"I want to focus more on what we're going to do next, rather than any comments that may come from an ambassador or a president or a leader - because ultimately, securing the peace is the UK's objective."
Pressed on Mandelson's comments in Westminster today, the Prime Minister's official spokesman declined to comment.
