Burnham says he wants to 'repair bridges' between Ukraine and US
It comes as the prime minister meets President Zelensky at Downing Street.
Key points
- Burnham welcomed Zelensky at Number 10 with a military guard, a first for a foreign leader there.
- Burnham said he wants to 'repair bridges' after Trump's diesel deal with Moscow.
- Zelensky said 600,000 people lost power after overnight Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.
UK Prime Minister Burnham met Ukrainian President Zelensky at Number 10 on Wednesday, where Zelensky received a military ceremonial guard. Number 10 said it could not find a record of such a welcome on Downing Street for a foreign leader.
The meeting followed US President Donald Trump's announcement that he had struck a deal with Moscow to import Russian diesel and suspended sanctions on diesel from Russia. Zelensky called the move a gift to Putin, while Trump said it was 'time for Ukraine to get a new president'.
What Burnham said
Asked about Trump's move during Prime Minister's Questions, Burnham avoided criticising the US president. He said he wanted to 'be careful in terms of laying the ground to bring people back together' and that he must try to 'repair bridges' so support returns.
Burnham stressed Zelensky would not leave the UK 'empty-handed', saying further military and financial support would be drawn up in the coming weeks. He is expected to promise more sanctions on Russia and announce accelerated delivery of air defence missiles to Kyiv.
What I have to do in my role is try and repair bridges so that the support comes back and therefore I should at this moment in time be careful in terms of laying the ground to bring people back together.
— Burnham
Pressure on Russia
The UK will urge allies to increase pressure on Russia. Chancellor John Healey will use International Monetary Fund meetings to call for a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas.
Zelensky said at least 600,000 people across Ukraine were left without electricity after deadly overnight Russian missile and drone strikes. He said 'critical' energy infrastructure was hit, despite Trump's claim on Sunday that a ceasefire on strikes on energy infrastructure was in place between Russia and Ukraine.
Russia said its strikes hit communications and energy facilities used by Ukraine's military. Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries and other energy facilities if Moscow did the same, but Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Ukraine does not deserve the 'respite' a ceasefire would bring.
