While Luxon was clearabout his view of trusting Trump, Labour’s leader Chris Hipkins wouldn’t say if he trusted the American leader, even acknowledging he would “dodge” journalists’ questions about it.
The Oval Office blow-up between Trump and Zelenskyy on Saturday – during which the US President scolded his Ukrainian counterpart and suggested he was “gambling with World War III” - shocked observers and caused concern about US support for Ukraine.
The US has been a significant backer of Ukraine since the European nation was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
Questioned on Monday afternoon at his post-Cabinet press conference, Luxon said it was a “tough watch”, but it didn’t affect New Zealand’s support for Ukraine.
“Nothing’s changed in our position and support for Ukraine. President Zelenskyy is doing exceptionally good job as a wartime leader, as a leader of a small country that was invaded by a bigger country, and we stand with Ukraine,” he said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the United States is a reliable partner.
Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Trump Administration’s peace talks with Russia – without Kyiv’s involvement – and the US President’s characterisations of Zelenskyy, including as a “dictator”, has raised eyebrows and worries that the US is aligning more with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Luxon said he wanted to see the US and Ukraine working through a “proper peace plan”, that brought about a “just and lasting peace”. He also made clear it was Russia that invaded Ukraine and Russia that was the aggressor.
The Herald asked Luxon whether the US was a “reliable partner going forward” and if he believed it also shared our values around a rules-based international order.
The Prime Minister responded in the affirmative to both. He said it was a difficult geopolitical environment.
“We have a strong partnership with the US, there’s lot of collaboration, there’s lots we can do together.”
Luxon later said he trusted Trump.
“I trust the President and I trust the American system and that we can work well with the American system. I will continue to act in our own national interests as you’d expect me to do, but I think we can work well with a number of leaders and partners around the world.”
US President Donald Trump (left) welcoming Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (right) to the White House in Washington, DC, prior to their talks. Photo / Ukrainian Presidential Press-Service
The Herald asked Hipkins the same question: “Do you trust Trump?”
“I was very concerned by what we saw in the Oval Office interchange over the weekend,” he responded. “I think there was a lack of respect in that interchange, but I don’t think it was President Zelenskyy that was showing that lack of respect.”
Hipkins said Ukraine was “fighting for democracy” and the survival of the country, and welcomed Luxon’s support for Ukraine.
But pushed again on if he trusted the US President, Hipkins said, “frankly, it’s a question I’m going to dodge”.
“I think we should be clear as a country that the views expressed in that Oval Office view do not reflect the views of New Zealanders,” he said.
Hipkins said the comments made in the meeting suggested “the American Government’s position has changed”.
“As a result, we do need to consider that too,” he said, adding recent events underscored the need for an independent foreign policy.
PM Christopher Luxon's (left) support for Ukraine has been welcomed by Labour's Chris Hipkins (right). Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Green Party earlier called for Luxon to rule out joining Aukus – the military pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States – in any capacity following the “scenes in the House over the weekend”.
New Zealand has been exploring the idea of joining pillar 2 of the pact – which is about advanced technologies, rather the main nuclear submarine element of the deal – but hasn’t yet indicated its view or even received an invitation from the participating countries.
“What we saw in the White House at the weekend laid bare the volatility and danger of the Trump leadership - nothing good can come from deepening our links to this administration,” said Greens foreign affairs spokesman Teanau Tuiono.
“Christopher Luxon should read the room and rule out joining any part of the Aukus framework. We believe Aotearoa New Zealand should steer clear of Aukus regardless of who is in the White House, but Trump’s transactional and hyper-aggressive foreign policy makes the case to stay out stronger than ever.”
Luxon said on Monday afternoon that he didn’t “take foreign policy advice from the Greens”.
“There’s nothing that’s changed position in our Aukus position. We continue to explore whether that’s in New Zealand’s national interest and we’ll continue to do so.”
He said it was still his position for New Zealand to be open to participating in a peacekeeping operation in Ukraine post-war.
Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office.
