Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will try to “repair bridges” between Ukraine and the United States, ahead of a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky at Downing Street.
The Ukrainian president was welcomed by a military ceremonial guard outside Number 10 as he arrived for the meeting, in what is thought to be a first for a foreign leader.
It comes after President Donald Trump said he had struck a deal with Moscow to import Russian diesel.
Asked about Trump’s move during Prime Minister’s Questions, Burnham resisted criticising the US president, saying he wanted to “be careful in terms of laying the ground to bring people back together”.
However, he stressed that Zelensky would not be leaving the UK “empty-handed”, as he said further military and financial support would be drawn up in the coming weeks.
Burnham is expected to use the visit to promise further sanctions against Russia, while also announcing the UK will accelerate its delivery of air defence missiles to Kyiv.
The UK will also urge allies to step up pressure on Russia, with Chancellor John Healey using International Monetary Fund meetings to call for a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG).
It is Zelensky’s second visit to the UK since Burnham became prime minister.
While other world leaders have received military welcomes, Number 10 said it could not find a record of one taking place on Downing Street.
