A bad ceasefire deal is worse for Ukraine than no ceasefire

THE ugly scenes at the White House on Friday were not what anyone who cares passionately about the future of Ukraine wanted to see.

- Lord Ashcroft

And the subsequent war of words is unhelpful for a beleaguered eastern European nation trying to end a much more real war with its powerful Russian neighbour.

Fortunately, President Volodymyr Zelensky enjoyed a much warmer reception from Sir Keir Starmer, King Charles and European leaders when he visited London this weekend.

Yet, naturally, it will be the bruising encounter at the Oval Office that remains in the public's memory for far longer.

The crucial question now is: where do we go from here?

I have just returned from my eleventh visit to Ukraine since the start of its all-out war more than three years ago and my respect for the resilience of its people has no limits. Sadly, but unsurprisingly, Ukraine looks to be losing this war as it runs short of men, as well as arms.

Yet I remain optimistic that through a mixture of courage, ingenuity and grim determination, Ukraine will be able to hold off its aggressor for long enough to secure a "fair" peace deal: one which will give it the protection it needs to agree a ceasefire.