Former US President Joe Biden has given his first interview since leaving the White House.

He told the BBC that the Trump administration’s pressure on Ukraine to hand over territory to Russia is “a modern-day appeasement,” the Telegraph reports.

Speaking from Delaware, he said Russian President Vladimir Putin believed Ukraine was part of Russia and “anyone who thinks it will stop” if any territory is given up as part of a peace deal is “just a fool.”

Biden, who spoke as allied nations mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day this week, said he was concerned about the breakdown of US-European relations under President Donald Trump, which he said would “change the modern history of the world.”

In a wide-ranging interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Biden was challenged on his past in Ukraine, as well as his decision to end his 2024 re-election bid at the end of the race after a poor debate performance sparked concerns about his physical condition and plunged the Democratic Party into crisis.