The former head of the British armed forces, retired General Sir Nick Carter, has urged the United Kingdom and European nations to increase their support for Ukraine, particularly in light of potential changes in U.S. foreign policy regarding the ongoing conflict with Russia.

During a special episode of BBC One's Question Time, Sir Nick articulated that the UK and European countries might need to offer security guarantees to Ukraine, regardless of the level of U.S. involvement, which has recently come under scrutiny.

Sir Nick stated that it is ultimately Ukraine's prerogative to define what constitutes a 'fair settlement' in their conflict, but he stressed that the UK and its European allies must take definitive steps to ensure Ukraine's sovereignty.

His comments coincide with remarks made earlier by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who asserted that a U.S. security guarantee is essential to effectively deter Russian aggression.

Tensions have arisen between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump indicated that the U.S. intends to initiate direct negotiations with Russia, raising concerns about the implications for Ukraine.

Starmer reiterated the UK's readiness to deploy peacekeeping troops if necessary but highlighted the importance of having a U.S. 'backstop' to support those efforts, although the specifics of this were left unclear.

In advance of his scheduled visit to Washington, Sir Keir is expected to advocate for Ukraine and support for Zelensky in discussions with President Trump.

This visit follows a recent meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Trump, in which France sought to coordinate a European response to the conflict.

Macron also communicated with Zelensky ahead of his trip to discuss diplomatic strategies.

Additionally, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated Canada’s support for Ukraine in a conversation with Zelensky, emphasizing the necessity of Ukrainian involvement in any negotiations aimed at ending the war.

In a recent exchange, President Trump referred to Zelensky as a 'dictator' and suggested that Ukraine bore some responsibility for the Russian invasion that escalated in February 2022. Zelensky responded by accusing Trump of being misled by misinformation propagated by Russia.

Sir Nick Carter also raised concerns about the state of the UK's own armed forces, describing them as 'remarkably hollow' after three decades of underinvestment.

He cautioned about the vulnerabilities faced by the UK, particularly highlighting the dependence on undersea cables and insufficient cyber defenses.

He stated, 'We are massively vulnerable at the moment,' and underlined the unsustainable nature of the attacks Ukraine has faced, suggesting such strategies could not effectively be replicated in the UK.

The panel discussion on Thursday featured Sir Nick, Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko, campaign advisor Jan Halper-Hayes, Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, and former Conservative Defense Secretary Sir Ben Wallace.

Audience members included Ukrainian refugees, who shared personal accounts of the trauma resulting from the war.