Thu Mar 06 03:56:56 UTC 2025: ## New Zealand Ambassador Recalled After Comparing Trump’s Ukraine Policy to Appeasement of Nazi Germany

**London, UK** – New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Phil Goff, has been recalled after drawing a controversial parallel between President Donald Trump’s approach to the Ukraine conflict and the appeasement of Nazi Germany prior to World War II.

Goff made the remarks during a Wednesday panel discussion at Chatham House in London, comparing Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine to the 1938 Munich Agreement. He quoted Winston Churchill’s criticism of Neville Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement, questioning whether Trump truly understood the historical context.

The New Zealand government swiftly responded, stating in a press release that Goff’s comments “do not represent the views of the NZ government and make his position as high commissioner to London untenable.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed they are arranging for Goff’s return to New Zealand.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark criticized the government’s decision on X (formerly Twitter), calling the rationale for Goff’s dismissal a “very thin excuse” and noting similar comparisons were made at the Munich Security Conference last month.

Goff, a former mayor of Auckland and previously a Minister of Foreign Affairs, was appointed to the UK post in 2023. He has yet to publicly respond to his recall. The incident highlights the delicate diplomatic tightrope New Zealand walks in balancing its relationship with the United States and its own independent foreign policy pronouncements.

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