Retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt said Thursday on Newsmax that the United Kingdom has "gone rogue" in the midst of potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, warning that Britain's actions could complicate ongoing negotiations.
In an appearance on "The Chris Salcedo Show," Holt voiced his concerns regarding the United Kingdom's reported agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to secure military access to eight ports within Ukraine. While he acknowledged optimism that peace discussions had advanced, Holt expressed unease over Britain's recent actions.
"I'm very, very excited that this part got done. I didn't think it would, but the worry I have now is the U.K. has gone rogue," he said. "They are entering into an agreement with President Zelenskyy on getting eight ports for military access in Odesa, and that is not helpful."
His remarks followed reports that the U.S. and Ukraine had reached an understanding in Saudi Arabia for a proposed 30-day ceasefire. As part of the agreement, Washington pledged to lift a freeze on intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine, CBS News reported.
The discussions in Jeddah on Tuesday involved over eight hours of negotiations between Ukrainian officials and a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It remains uncertain whether Russia will support the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, according to sources familiar with the planning, Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, is set to travel to Moscow for discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Witkoff previously met with Putin for more than three hours in February.
"The bottom line is that Russia absolutely has to get back into the world economy, get access to markets like Europe," Holt said. "And Europe, honestly, needs access to that cheap Russian gas so they can reindustrialize themselves."
Holt suggested that Trump's diplomatic efforts could be crucial in pushing Russia toward a peace deal.
"There's a lot of levers that he's [Trump's] got. Most of them are not military at all. Most of them have to do with economics," Holt said.
"President Trump is going to be working the phones," he added.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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