Russian drone strikes targeting the Volyn region of Ukraine plunged many civilians into darkness.
Donald Trump has criticised Ukraine’s new strikes on Russian oil refineries (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump has criticised Ukraine, saying the war-torn country’s strikes on Russian oil refineries are a “disgrace”. The US President said last week that the two countries had agreed to an “energy ceasefire”, in which they’d stop striking each other’s energy infrastructure, though neither said they had actually agreed to it. Ukraine held off strikes for three days but resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries after saying Moscow repeatedly attacked its power grid.
This drew Mr Trump’s criticism for allegedly sending oil prices skyrocketing. He told Newsmax: “All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher. Well, I think that’s a disgrace.
“There are a lot of targets you can hit, but when you shoot at diesel refineries where you make, you know, diesel oil, and we need that, and the world needs that, then he’s not doing a good service for the world… I’m not a big fan of Zelensky. I think they actually both would like to see it end, but I think I find Zelenskyy to be more difficult to deal with than Putin.”
Russia delivered its own strikes overnight, leaving 370,000 people without power and two people injured in the Volyn region of Ukraine, the regional governor said. Emergency power outages have also been introduced in Kyiv following an attack on energy facilities, Ukraine’s national power provider DTEK said.
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The past week has seen a deterioration in relations between Washington and Kyiv following Mr Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel amid rising fuel prices, which skyrocketed following the Iran war and tensions on the Strait of Hormuz. However, Andy Burnham would not back suggestions that the US has betrayed Ukraine, and insisted the UK would continue to build bridges with the US President.
The Prime Minister was asked by reporters if he agreed with the Ukrainian President’s assessment that Mr Trump had betrayed his country by curbing its access to a vital Starlink satellite communications system. Mr Burnham said: “I was proud of the reception that the UK gave to the Ukrainian president yesterday. It was actually quite emotional to be in Downing Street and hear the cheers for him coming through the gates and coming through the Foreign Office.
Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries. (Image: Getty)
“It was quite amazing actually, and I could see how personally moved he was by that. Obviously, it’s been a difficult few days for President Zelensky, and that’s why I invited him to the UK to give him that lift, and to see what more we could do.
“We obviously have close conversations with our US counterparts, and what I’m going to do is build that bridge and make sure that we’re still all working together to support Ukraine.
“President Trump called for an energy ceasefire, President Zelensky immediately said he would engage in that immediately, and what has Russia done in the last few days? It’s been bombing energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
“So it is quite clear once again to the world who the aggressor is in this conflict, and we will use whatever influence we have got as the UK to bring the parties together behind President Zelensky and Ukraine.”
Britons warned of huge ‘new tax’ if UK rejoins EU – ‘billions back to Brussels’
A push to reverse Brexit is gaining momentum, but it comes at a high cost.
Andy Burnham is preparing for a UK-EU summit next month (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Britain will have to make radically greater payments into the European Union if the country rejoins with the bill potentially hitting £41billion, according to a eurosceptic think tank. The Bow Group has calculated the UK gross contribution could range from £28billion to £41billion – much more than the £14.4billion paid in 2019. This is based on the assumption there is no possibility the EU would agree to restore the permanent “rebate” negotiated by Margaret Thatcher.
Her former aide Lord Redwood, warned: “The UK would need to impose a large new tax; we cannot afford to go in. We would worry markets more with yet more borrowing. The last thing we need is yet more spending and laws from Brussels.”
According to the House of Commons Library, in 2016 – the year Britons voted to leave the EU – the UK made a gross contribution to the EU Budget of £13.1billion and a net contribution of £9.6billion.
Ben Harris-Quinney, who chairs the Bow Group, said: “Despite promises to accept Brexit the Labour party now seems to be set on the path of quietly taking Britain back into the EU. It’s important that the British public understands that doing so would be far more costly than our previous membership, to say nothing of a likely requirement to join the euro, far greater regulation, and further decades of uncontrolled borders.”
Eurosceptics argue the EU wants the UK to return to boost the finances of the bloc. When Czech PM Andrej Babis was asked if would support the return of Britain to the EU, he said: “Yes of course. We need more money.”
Conservative shadow foreign minister Wendy Morton pointed to his words, saying: “Andy Burnham can’t find the cash to fund our defence, yet he seems comfortable with the idea of handing over billions to Brussels. Instead of trying to turn back the clock to 2016, he should focus on a plan for taking the country forward.”
David Campbell Bannerman fiercely opposes EU re-entry (Image: Paul Marriott)
A Reform UK spokesman warned: “Andy Burnham’s plan to reopen the divisions of the Brexit debate will not only betray the 17.4 million people who voted for Brexit, but will also cost this country dearly. Shackling us to a crumbling bloc whose share of the global economy is rapidly declining will be an economic disaster for Britain, forcing us to become a rule-taker yet again and threatening £164billion worth of post-Brexit trade agreements.”
However, a spokesperson for the pro-EU group Best for Britain said it was “unlikely” the UK could not get “some for of rebate”, adding: “It isn’t an accurate calculation of the cost to the taxpayer, and ignores the £92billion GDP growth to our economy that will be gained from EU membership. A gross calculation of what the UK might have to pay as an EU member is like submitting a tax return without any business expenses, or claiming that your turnover is net profit. But voters facing increased living costs, and businesses swamped by red tape, will be relieved to hear that pro-Brexit voices are finally taking the prospect of UK membership of the EU seriously.”
David Campbell Bannerman, a former MEP who served as deputy leader of UKIP insisted that EU re-entry was “totally unaffordable”. He said: “We would be mad to rejoin and anyone trying to rejoin should be prosecuted for misconduct in public office.”
A Government spokesperson said: “These figures are completely speculative. We are building an ambitious, close relationship with the EU that will strengthen our economy and create more opportunities for young people and communities across the whole UK.”