A former Chief of the General Staff has warned Volodymyr Zelenskyy may be forced to the negotiating table “against his own will” when Donald Trump becomes US president. 

The president-elect has promised to end the Ukraine war in 24 hours and will want to keep up his reputation as a dealmaker. 

General Lord Dannatt told Sky’s Kay Burley: “If [Trump] makes it clear to Zelenskyy that the Americans are going to scale down support dramatically and the Europeans are not able to make up the difference, then frankly Zelenskyy is going to be forced to the negotiating table against his own will.” 

A compromise will be needed and “some part of eastern Ukraine will probably end up permanently in Russian hands”, Lord Dannatt said. 

The implications of this on European security are “pretty appalling”, he added, as the aggressor “will have been rewarded”. 

Putin ‘maintaining pressure’ on Ukraine

Speaking about the war more generally, the former Chief of the General staff said Russia has been maintaining a push on Ukraine’s frontline for months now. 

A widescale breakthrough has not materialised but Moscow’s troops are gaining small bits of territory along the frontline. 

Lord Dannatt said Putin is likely “maintaining pressure on Ukraine” ahead of Trump taking over the White House. 

Ukraine is “not losing the war but it’s certainly not winning either”, he said. 

Could British missiles be used in Russia?

Asked whether the British government could step in to allow its Storm Shadow missiles to be used in Russia, Lord Dannatt said he hopes the UK will follow America’s lead. 

He said the long-range missiles are “necessary” to conduct the deep battle by attacking Russia’s airbases and logistics supplies. 

“We have not allowed Ukrainians to use their weapons to the maximum range, and have condemned them to effectively fight with one arm behind their back,” he said. 

On Putin’s nuclear threats, he said the Russian president is “always going to rattle that particular sabre” but questioned where he would realistically use a nuclear weapon. 

He also said that China, one of Russia’s major partners, has said “very clearly” to Putin that Moscow should not escalate to nuclear warfare.