We are behind you and that will not change, PM tells Zelensky

During a recent visit to Downing Street, Andy Burnham expressed unwavering support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, emphasizing, “We are behind you and that will not change.” Zelensky’s trip to London aimed to strengthen alliances following controversial moves by former US President Donald Trump, who had called for Zelensky to step down and lifted sanctions on Russian diesel imports.

Burnham acknowledged the challenges Ukraine currently faces, describing the past days as “dark and difficult” due to intense bombardments targeting key infrastructure. While the UK is open to discussing a US-proposed energy ceasefire, the prime minister highlighted that Russia has instead escalated its attacks on critical national infrastructure. Zelensky praised the strong partnership with the UK, stating, “Our people, we survived and continue to do this because we have strong partners and I’m very proud that we have one of the strongest partners in our history and it’s your people, Andy.”

Zelensky received a warm welcome upon arrival, including a hug from Burnham, applause from civil servants, and a rare honour guard ceremony. Ahead of his visit, the UK government announced it would accelerate the delivery of lightweight multirole missiles to Ukraine, which have proven effective against Russian drones. Despite these efforts, recent Russian missile and drone strikes have left approximately 600,000 Ukrainians without electricity, and for two consecutive nights, Ukraine reportedly did not receive prior intelligence warnings from its allies about incoming missile attacks.

The Ukrainian president has hinted at tensions with the US over intelligence sharing, suggesting that Washington threatened to withhold information unless Ukraine agreed to an energy ceasefire; however, Trump has denied these claims. In the UK Parliament, Burnham was cautious about criticizing Trump directly despite calls from opposition leaders labeling the US decision to lift sanctions as a “shameful Trump betrayal.” Instead, Burnham emphasized the importance of mending political divisions to maintain international support for Ukraine, assuring that Zelensky’s visit would not be without significant outcomes. The backdrop to these tensions includes Trump’s recent agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to release an initial 300,000 tonnes of diesel amid concerns about rising living costs in the US ahead of November elections, a deal that contradicts existing sanctions designed to weaken Russia’s war funding. This development follows Trump’s earlier accusations against Zelensky, calling for new leadership in Ukraine and recalling their past public confrontations

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