Andy Burnham will have a phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky. (Image: Getty)
Andy Burnham has spoken with Volodymyr Zelensky today amid the Ukrainian President’s ongoing dispute with Donald Trump. The Prime Minister said he recognised the past day had been “difficult for Ukraine” and the two talked about the importance of keeping up pressure on Russia. The two leaders will also meet in the coming days to discuss ongoing Russian aggression.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine today. The Prime Minister began by recognising the last 24 hours had been difficult for Ukraine and reiterated his complete solidarity.
“The two leaders next discussed the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia: the Prime Minister made it clear that the UK would continue to strengthen its sanctions on Russia and to take further action to constrain the Russian war machine, building on new UK designations against Russian targets announced this week.
“They underlined that Russia should agree to an immediate energy ceasefire, ending its brutal strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and its attacks on shipping in the Black Sea.
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“This would immediately release more energy and food supplies into the global market. The two leaders agreed to meet in person in the coming days to continue their discussion.”
Zelensky and Burnham will meet in the coming days. (Image: Getty)
This comes after Mr Trump announced the deal to buy more than one million tonnes of diesel from Russia on Friday, as rising fuel prices heaped political pressure on him ahead of next month’s mid-term elections in the US.
Mr Zelensky had criticised the move by Mr Trump, saying it “plays into Russia’s hands” and would prolong the war. The latest Russian strikes have meanwhile killed at least 17 people in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday.
The US President, meanwhile, lashed out at the Ukrainian leader on Saturday, suggesting Mr Zelensky had not done enough to end the war with Russia.
Speaking at the White House, he said: “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal″, adding that ”for some reason [Zelensky] never does.” He added: “I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president.”
Mr Trump posted on social media saying he had struck the deal with Vladimir Putin in a phone call.
The call was expected to discuss a suspected case of plague in Russia, but Mr Trump said afterwards that Moscow would supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel, an additional 500,000 tonnes in November, and one million tonnes “immediately thereafter”.
Russia will deliver an additional three million tonnes “within a short period of time” after that, he wrote.
The announcement came after Mr Trump signed a sweeping Russia sanctions law just last month aimed at clamping down on the oil and gas revenues that fuel Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Andy Burnham Wades Into Trump–Zelensky Row With Bombshell Phone Call
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stepped into an increasingly tense diplomatic dispute between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, making a direct phone call to Kyiv as uncertainty grows over Washington’s approach to the war.
The call, made on Saturday, October 10, came after Trump criticised Zelenskyy, questioned his leadership and struck a controversial deal allowing Russian diesel to reach international markets. Burnham used the conversation to express Britain’s solidarity with Ukraine and reaffirm the government’s commitment to maintaining pressure on Moscow. <Cite refs={[“turn997025search0″,”turn997025news3”]}/>
The intervention has taken on added significance because Burnham is attempting to do two things at once: reassure Ukraine that Britain will continue supporting its defence, while avoiding a complete breakdown in relations with the United States. That balancing act could become increasingly difficult as the disagreement between Trump and Zelenskyy deepens.
The row is no longer simply about the tone of a presidential exchange. It concerns sanctions against Russia, the supply of energy, military assistance to Ukraine and the prospects for a negotiated end to the war.
For Kyiv, the central concern is whether its international partners will continue providing the weapons, intelligence and diplomatic backing needed to resist Russia’s invasion. For European governments, the dispute raises a wider question about how to maintain a united response when Washington’s position appears to be shifting.
Burnham’s phone call was therefore more than a routine diplomatic gesture. It was an attempt to show that Ukraine still has important allies in Europe at a moment when its relationship with the American president has become more uncertain.
What triggered the Trump–Zelenskyy confrontation?
The latest disagreement followed Trump’s decision to reach a deal allowing Russian diesel exports, a move that drew criticism from Ukraine because Russia continues to wage war against the country. Zelenskyy described the arrangement as unfair, while Trump subsequently accused the Ukrainian leader of resisting a compromise and suggested that Ukraine needed a new president. <Cite refs={[“turn997025news3″,”turn997025search2”]}/>
Those remarks sharpened concerns in Kyiv about the future direction of American policy. Trump has repeatedly said he wants the war brought to an end, but disagreements over the terms of a settlement have exposed the gap between Washington’s desire for a deal and Ukraine’s insistence that any agreement must protect its sovereignty and security.
Zelenskyy faces a difficult dilemma. Ukraine needs international support, but accepting a settlement that leaves it vulnerable to renewed Russian aggression could carry serious long-term risks. Rejecting proposals it considers inadequate, meanwhile, could leave the country facing a prolonged war with uncertain levels of external assistance.
Russia’s continued attacks have made the situation more urgent. Ukraine has faced renewed strikes on civilian areas and energy infrastructure, raising fears about the impact of another severe winter on electricity supplies, heating and daily life. <Cite refs={[“turn997025news3″,”turn997025search2”]}/>
Against that background, Trump’s public criticism of Zelenskyy has been particularly sensitive. Ukrainian officials have argued that decisions about the country’s leadership belong to the Ukrainian people, not foreign governments.
The confrontation also places pressure on European allies. They must decide how to respond to Washington’s actions without undermining the wider international coalition supporting Ukraine or closing off opportunities for diplomatic progress.