Britain needs to be ready to react if Donald Trump pulls the plug on US support for the UK’s nuclear deterrent, experts have said.

It is the latest stark warning issued by security chiefs in recent days amid the tension surrounding the historic transatlantic alliance between the nations on either side of the pond.

It’s been a jam-packed week in the political sphere, especially in wake of Trump‘s explosive verbal tussle with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.

A lot of Brits were left wondering where on earth we stand in all of this, as it came just days after Sir Keir Starmer sat down with the US President and days before he welcomed Ukraine‘s leader at Downing Street.

It seemed as though the Prime Minister was stuck between a rock and a hard place, while he later urged the warring political figures to ‘find a way that we can all work together’.

Starmer has made a point of shooting down Vice President JD Vance in recent days, after Trump’s deputy bizarrely described the UK as ‘a random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 years’.

The PM also addressed the factually incorrect comments from Vance in the House of Commons yesterday (5 March), and even reform leader Nigel Farage was on the same page as the Labour leader.

Despite this stuff, Starmer has forged a decent relationship with Trump on the whole since taking office.

However, the UK has been warned to have its wits about, as the chumminess between the leaders doesn’t rid us of the risk that the US could effectively dismantle our nuclear deterrent.

Experts have warned that the UK could end up in a ‘terrifying’ position if Trump pulled the plug (Carl Court – Pool/Getty Images)

The Trident nuclear-weapons system is part of our defence against weapons of mass destruction and it was created so that a retaliatory strike could be launched on any aggressors.

It is made up of four nuclear-powered Vanguard-class submarines, missiles and warheads, according to the BBC, and each sub is designed to carry 16 Trident missiles.

The UK has it’s own nuclear warheads, so we’re all okay on that front – but the problem is, they are fitted to US-made and maintained Trident ballistic missiles.

These are carried in the Royal Navy’s Vanguard Class submarines, who exercise control over these as soon as they are on the submarines.

But before they are actually loaded onboard, these are taken from a joint stockpile divvied between the UK and the US which is based in Georgia.

Although we’ve never had any trouble with accessing the missiles before, there’s a first time for everything – and experts have urged officials to create a suitable contingency plan.

Former British soldier turned defence industry analyst, Nicholas Drummond, reassured people it was ‘extremely unlikely’ that Trump would make such a move.

You can’t put anything past the US President, 78, these days (Annabelle Gordon for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Although the expert points out it would be a ‘strategic betrayal on a grand scale that would damage him and America’, as they say, you can never say never.

“When it comes to support and maintenance, I would say that we are largely dependent on the US for parts and technical assistance,” Drummond told The Times. “If this was withdrawn, it would also weaken our deterrent.

“Can you imagine a situation where Britain’s relationship with America is fractured and they refuse to give us Trident missiles through the agreement that is in place?

“It would render the billions we have invested in Dreadnought boats useless. A terrifying thought.

“Anyone who suggested this a year ago would have been dismissed as an idiot. Now it is a scenario that we need to plan for.”

Matthew Savill, the director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute think tank, also stressed the importance of the UK being prepared.

“If the US cut off support we would have a load of Trident missiles but at some point we would need to fashion our own missiles with somebody,” he said.

“We could in due course replace these things but the cost would be excruciating.”

Early this morning (4 March), news broke that Donald Trump had made the decision to suspend all military aid to Ukraine, following an unsuccessful meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week.

The 47th US president had a meeting with senior advisors on Monday before making the decision.

A public meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy took place last Friday in the Oval Office, where the former accused the Ukrainian president of ‘gambling with WW3’, as he left the White House with no progress made in peace deal talks.

If you haven’t seen the ordeal, have a look:

The order represents a move by Trump to give Zelenskyy an ultimatum, as several Russian officials shared their glee.

After the heated talks, it was announced that the pause to military aid would come into effect immediately, as a White House official told Sky News that while Trump is focused on peace, they want their ‘partners to be committed to that goal as well’.

Now, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko has commented on the situation, describing it as ‘catastrophic’.

It is the first comment on the situation from the European nation, which is currently at war with Russia.

Speaking to Sky, he told Wilfred Frost: “I understand we have a crisis in relationships right now after Friday’s meeting in the Oval Office, but I just want to ask Donald Trump to reconsider… maybe just give us some time to get out of this because this is catastrophic for us.”

Trump and Zelenskyy got into it in the Oval Office (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Goncharenko went on to claim that ‘thousands of people will die’ following Trump’s move, also sending a message to Zelenskyy.

He claimed that the move will make the division with Russia bigger, calling for Zelenskyy to do ‘everything he can in order to get out of this’, stating that an apology to Trump is required.

“We need to heal this division, we need to work together with America, we need to be together,” he claimed.

The MP also revealed that the Ukrainian leader previously said he wouldn’t seek re-election after being made president in 2019, suggesting that he ‘think about not running’ after the war ends.

Deborah Haynes, the security and defence editor for the news publication, highlighted what effects Trump’s decision would have on the world.

She explained: “It will have an immediate impact on its ability to fight on the frontline and to defend cities from Russian attacks.”

Haynes added that the Ukrainian air force shot down 65 of 99 Russian drones that were launched at the nation last night, highlighting that a third of them got through and that it’s ‘vital’ that they get military help from allies.

Trump and the US government have cut Ukraine off from their military aid (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

She concluded by claiming that Trump’s decision gives an overwhelming advantage to one country: Russia.

It had been reported by the New York Times that over $1 billion (£787.3 million) in arms and ammunition will be withheld by the US, with Ukraine now forced to deal with private contractors.

The UK government has since commented on the decision to pause military aid to Ukraine, as a spokesperson said: “We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort.

“It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so.”

Greenland’s prime minister has responded after US President Donald Trump declared that America would take it over ‘one way or the other’.

Trump has been talking about taking over Greenland for a while, having claimed that the US will ‘need it for national security’, saying he was ‘talking about protecting the free world’ when he spoke of occupying the world’s largest island.

Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, which has insisted that they will not be selling it to the Americans, and while there is an independence movement in the territory they are not rushing to become the next American state.

In his address to Congress yesterday (4 March), Trump once again spoke of his desire to take over Greenland, saying: “We strongly support your right to determine your own future. And if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.

“We will keep you safe. We will make you rich. And together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before.”

Trump said his government was ‘working with everybody involved to try to get’ Greenland, and despite the lack of desire from Greenland or Denmark for his ideas he made it clear he thinks he will succeed eventually.

Donald Trump wants Greenland, Greenland doesn’t want Donald Trump (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

“We need it really for international world security. And I think we’re going to get it. One way or the other, we’re going to get it,” he told Congress.

Responding to Trump’s ominous declaration that the US was ‘going to get’ Greenland ‘one way or the other‘, Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Bourup Egede released a statement declaring that ‘Kalaallit Nunaat is ours’ (Kalaallit Nunaat is the Greenlanders’ name for their country).

He said: “We don’t want to be Americans, nor Danes; We are Kalaallit. The Americans and their leader must understand that.

Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Bourup Egede has made it clear Greenland doesn’t want to be part of the US (Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“We are not for sale and cannot simply be taken. Our future will be decided by us in Greenland.”

Trump’s notion of the US taking over Greenland would seem to run very much contrary to the desire of the 56,000 people who actually live there, which would seem to be a massive obstacle to his plans to take it over.

Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he didn’t think that Greenland wanted to become independent just to end up being ‘an integrated part of America’.

President Donald Trump has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he’s ‘gambling with World War Three’ in an explosive discussion at the White House.

On Friday (28 February), the pair – along with Vice President JD Vance – met in the Oval Office where they discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In a clip shared online, Trump can be heard telling Zelenskyy: “You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards … You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people! You’re gambling with World War III!”

The pair could be seen arguing as a heated discussion escalated.

Trump could be heard telling the Ukrainian president: “You either make a deal or we are out.

“Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.

“We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel, because you’re in no position to dictate that… You’re in no position to dictate what we’re going to feel.

“We’re going to feel very good and very strong.

“You’re not in a very good position, you’ve allowed yourself to be in a bad position… you don’t have the cards right now… you’re gambling with the lives of millions of people.”

Donald Trump told Volodymyr Zelenskyy he was ‘gambling with World War Three’ (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

At one point, Vance interjected, asking the Ukrainian president: “In this entire meeting, have you said thank you?

“You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October, offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country.”

Trump added: “Your country is in big trouble. Wait a minute. No, no, you’ve done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble.”

Vance asked Zelenskyy if he had said ‘thank you’ (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The White House has since responded to the exchange, with Trump’s special assistant and communications adviser Margo Martin writing on X: “President Trump and Vice President Vance will always stand for America and those who respect our position in the world. America will never be taken advantage of.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump later added that Zelenskyy could ‘come back when he is ready for peace’.

“We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today. Much was learned that could never be understood without conversation under such fire and pressure. It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations,” he wrote.

“I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”