Yorkshire Tory MP questions whether Donald Trump is 'Russian asset' after Ukraine aid decision

He wrote on X: “We have to consider the possibility that President Trump is a Russian asset.

“If so, Trump’s acquisition is the crowning achievement of Putin’s FSB career - and Europe is on its own.”

The US President’s bombshell decision caused consternation in the UK, with Sir Keir Starmer speaking to Mr Trump on the phone just hours before the White House paused military aid.

While former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged the Government to “seize frozen Russian state assets” and give them to Ukraine.

The Richmond and Northallerton MP said that Mr Trump’s move to pause and review its assistance to Kyiv highlighted further the need for Europe to find “considerably more resources” for Ukraine.

In the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Sunak said: “Events overnight make it even clearer that Europe must find considerably more resources for Ukraine.

“The Chancellor has rightly continued our policy of using the interest on frozen Russian state assets to benefit Ukraine, but I believe now is the moment to go further and to actually seize those assets.

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine violates the principle of sovereign equality providing a basis in international law for this and by acting in concert with our allies we can ensure there are no risks to financial stability.

“So can I urge the Chancellor to push for co-ordinated action to seize those frozen Russian state assets, give that money to the Ukrainians so that they can defend their country and rebuild it too?”

Rachel Reeves said “we would look at going further but … it is incredibly complicated to do that in line with international law”.

This came as a diplomatic row threatened to break out between the UK and the US over comments from Vice President JD Vance.

Mr Vance was forced to clarify that his criticism of a possible European peacekeeping force in Ukraine was not aimed at the UK or France, after a backlash from British politicians and ex-soldiers.

He appeared to downplay the potential of “20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 30 or 40 years” in monitoring any ceasefire.

His comments were widely perceived to be directed towards the UK and France, who have been leading European efforts to secure a peace deal between Russia and Kyiv.

Later yesterday, Mr Vance claimed it was “absurdly dishonest” to suggest he had been referring to either of the countries.