British Prime Minister Andy Burnham assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Britain's support for Ukraine “will not change“. The two met at “Downing Street“ in London at a time of heightened tensions between Kiev and Washington, PA Media and DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
Upon his arrival at the British Prime Minister's residence, Zelensky was greeted with an unprecedented guard of honor by members of the Irish Guards. The ceremony took place against the backdrop of “dark and difficult days“ for Ukraine, as Burnham described them.
“You have seen the solidarity and support that you receive from everyone here in the UK. We are with you and that will not change“, said the British Prime Minister. Zelensky thanked for the support and expressed pride that the British people have proven to be “one of the strongest partners in Ukrainian history“.
During the meeting, Burnham confirmed that Britain would accelerate the delivery of vital air defense missiles to Ukraine due to “intensive bombing“ by Russia. The assistance will include faster deliveries of British light multi-purpose missiles, which have proven effective against Russian jet-powered drones. The prime minister also said he had instructed his ministers to explore further options for support, assuring Zelensky that the government was “considering all possible options.”
The meeting came amid strained relations between Ukraine and the United States. Last week, US President Donald Trump eased sanctions on Russian diesel amid concerns that high US fuel prices could become a major issue ahead of November’s midterm elections. Britain responded by vowing to “keep up the pressure on Russia.” In recent days, Trump has also said Ukraine needs a new leader and suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants a peace deal more than the government in Kiev.
Further tensions have been fueled by concerns about US intelligence sharing. Zelensky said Kiev had not received warning of the Russian missile strikes on Monday and Tuesday. Before meeting with the Ukrainian president, Burnham told the House of Commons that he would try to restore Trump's support for Ukraine. He had previously said he was choosing his words "carefully" after the deal between Trump and Russia on diesel fuel as he sought to "prepare the ground" for reconciliation.
The British prime minister stressed that Zelensky was "ready to sit down at the negotiating table and discuss" Trump's offer to stop attacks on energy infrastructure. However, he pointed out that Russia continues to attack strategic sites in Ukraine. "At times like these, Britain will continue to provide you with all the support it can," Burnham said, adding that the Ukrainian president would not leave Britain "empty-handed."