Britain will continue to “make the case” to the US to continue supporting Ukraine amid strained relations between Kyiv and Washington, a minister has said.
The past week has seen a deterioration in relations between Ukraine and the US following Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel in the face of rising fuel prices.
The relationship appeared to break down further on Wednesday as one of Volodymyr Zelensky’s advisers claimed billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX had imposed a speed limit on its Starlink terminals mounted on Ukrainian drones.
Ukraine relies on Starlink for defence against aerial attacks and targeting long-range drones against military sites in Russia.
But Mr Musk said the military version of Starlink is controlled by the US government, placing the blame for the disruption with the Pentagon and, ultimately, Mr Trump.
US President Donald Trump (left) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the West Wing of the White House last year (Samuel Corum/PA)
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By Wednesday night, reports suggested the speed limit had been partially lifted, but Ukrainian forces were still struggling to intercept Russian attacks.
Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky told the Financial Times his country would resume attacks on Russian oil refineries, saying Moscow had failed to observe Mr Trump’s demand for an “energy ceasefire”.
And he criticised the US president’s willingness to strike deals with Russia and apparent admiration for Vladimir Putin, saying: “He speaks about it openly and loudly that he loves such people and he respects such people.
“Because for him people who can be leaders 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, it means they can be very strong.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham signs the visitors’ book after taking part in a wreath-laying at Ukraine’s national military memorial cemetery in Hatnem southwest of Kyiv, during his first foreign trip as PM (Henry Nicholls/PA)
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Asked about Mr Zelensky’s comments and the breakdown in relations between the US and Ukraine on Thursday morning, skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith declined to criticise Washington’s apparently waning support for Kyiv.
She told Times Radio: “I think we have shown clearly what our position is with respect to Ukraine.
“We will continue to make the case to the US and other allies that we think they should be providing the kind of support that we are providing to Ukraine.”
Her comments echo those of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who told MPs on Wednesday he would be “careful” in his language about Mr Trump’s diesel deal as he was “laying the ground” for a reconciliation between Washington and Kyiv.
But at a meeting with Mr Zelensky in Downing Street, he vowed that the UK’s support for Ukraine “will not change” as he accelerated supplies of crucial air defence missiles to the country.