Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he sees it as his responsibility to mend relations between Ukraine and the United States, ahead of a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky at Downing Street. His comments followed President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had reached a deal with Moscow to bring Russian diesel into the US.
Asked about the move during Prime Minister’s Questions, Burnham stopped short of criticising the American president. He said he wanted to “be careful in terms of laying the ground to bring people back together”, while stressing that Zelensky would not leave Britain “empty-handed”, as further military and financial support was being drawn up for the coming weeks.
Burnham declines to condemn Trump over diesel deal
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey asked whether Burnham agreed the diesel arrangement was “yet another shameful Trump betrayal of the Ukrainian people and European security”. Burnham did not repeat that condemnation. Instead, he said his role was to try to repair bridges so that support would return.
The prime minister said he had spoken to Zelensky by phone on Saturday, because he recognised it was another very dark and difficult moment for him. He added that the Ukrainian leader was facing a winter that would be severe for his people.
Dispute over Russian diesel and the energy ceasefire
Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to release millions of tonnes of Russian diesel into the US, and that he had suspended sanctions on diesel from Moscow. Zelensky described the move as a gift to Putin, warning that it would give Moscow money to continue its war against Ukraine. Trump responded that it was “time for Ukraine to get a new president”.
On Sunday, Trump claimed Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an immediate energy ceasefire. Hours later, Zelensky said Russian attacks on energy facilities had continued. On Monday, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine did not deserve the “respite” a ceasefire would bring.
UK plans sanctions, faster missile deliveries and an LNG ban push
Burnham is expected to use the visit to promise further sanctions against Russia. Among the measures being announced are the following:
- Additional sanctions against Russia
- Faster delivery of air defence missiles to Kyiv
- Quicker delivery of British Lightweight Multirole Missiles, already committed at a value of £1.6bn over the next four years
- Further military and financial support, to be drawn up in the coming weeks
The UK will also urge allies to increase pressure on Russia. Chancellor John Healey plans to use International Monetary Fund meetings to call for a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG).
This is Zelensky’s second visit to the UK since Burnham became prime minister. His first came in late July, days after Burnham entered No 10, when the two men met troops and held a news conference at a naval base in Portsmouth.
