Zelenskiy visits Britain as Burnham pledges fresh support for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will meet ​British Prime Minister Andy ​Burnham in London on Wednesday ‌as Britain ​looks to reaffirm its support for Ukraine, including with the promise of a new package of surface-to-air ‌missiles. The meeting comes at a difficult time for Zelenskiy. US President Donald Trump said at the weekend he should be replaced as Ukraine's leader, days after ‌cutting a deal with Moscow to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports.

Britain ‌has said it does not support the US-Russia diesel deal, and called for allies to keep up the economic pressure on Moscow. "My message to the Ukrainian people could not ⁠be ​clearer, we are with ⁠you for as long as it takes, and we will go further and faster in ⁠our support to back your courageous fight for peace in Europe," Burnham said ​in a statement before the meeting.

Burnham said backing for Ukraine was ⁠vital to keeping people in Britain safe and pledged further military support. He announced the planned ⁠delivery ​of £45 million ($59.60 million) of surface-to-air missiles used to target jet-powered Russian drones, with £10 million of that package fast-tracked to meet an urgent need in ⁠Ukraine.

Burnham has asked officials to draw up further sanctions, military aid, and fiscal ⁠support, and his ⁠foreign and finance ministers have been lobbying allies to follow Britain in banning maritime services that support Russian liquefied ‌natural gas exports. ($1 = ‌0.7551 pounds)