Starmer backs Zelensky after Trump 'dictator' claim
Starmer backs Zelensky after Trump 'dictator' claim
(about 3 hours later)
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has expressed support for Volodymyr Zelensky as a "democratically elected leader" after Donald Trump described the Ukrainian president as a "dictator".
Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Elena casting their votes during the last, 2019 Ukrainian presidential election
Sir Keir spoke to Zelensky on the phone on Wednesday evening and said it was "perfectly reasonable" for Ukraine to "suspend elections during war time as the UK did during World War II", Downing Street said.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has backed Volodymyr Zelensky as a "democratically elected leader" after Donald Trump described the Ukrainian president as a "dictator".
The call came after Trump criticised Zelensky, saying he had done a "terrible job" and claiming "he refuses to have elections" in Ukraine as a condition of a deal to end the war.
Sir Keir called Zelensky on Wednesday evening and told him it was "perfectly reasonable" for Ukraine to "suspend elections during wartime as the UK did during World War Two", Downing Street said.
Zelensky had accused Trump of living in a Russian "disinformation space" after the US president appeared to blame Ukraine for starting the war in the country.
Trump had earlier criticised Zelensky, saying he had done a "terrible job" and claiming "he refuses to have elections" in Ukraine.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Sir Keir "stressed the need for everyone to work together" in his phone call with the Ukrainian president.
Russia's Ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, has told the BBC he believes Zelensky should hold elections and again rejected the idea of foreign peacekeeping troops being allowed in Ukraine in the event of any peace deal.
"The prime minister expressed his support for President Zelensky as Ukraine's democratically elected leader and said that it was perfectly reasonable to suspend elections during war time as the UK did during World War II," the spokesperson said.
Zelensky's five-year term was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion.
"The prime minister reiterated his support for the US-led efforts to get a lasting peace in Ukraine that deterred Russia from any future aggression."
In the phone call with the Ukrainian president, Sir Keir "stressed the need for everyone to work together", a Downing Street spokesperson said.
Following the phone call, Zelensky said the UK's role "in fortifying Europe's defence and security is important for us".
"The prime minister reiterated his support for the US-led efforts to get a lasting peace in Ukraine that deterred Russia from any future aggression," they added.
The Ukrainian leader said he and Sir Keir discussed "upcoming plans and opportunities", adding that the "UK's support matters indeed, and we will never forget the respect the British people have shown for Ukraine and our citizens".
Following the phone call, Zelensky said they had discussed "upcoming plans and opportunities", adding: "UK's support matters indeed, and we will never forget the respect the British people have shown for Ukraine and our citizens."
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has also defended the Ukrainian leader.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also defended the Ukrainian leader, writing on X that Zelensky was "the democratically elected leader of Ukraine who bravely stood up to Putin's illegal invasion".
In a post on X, Badenoch said Zelensky was "the democratically elected leader of Ukraine who bravely stood up to Putin's illegal invasion".
But Badenoch said Trump was "right that Europe needs to pull its weight" and called on Sir Keir to "get on a plane to Washington and show some leadership".
But Badenoch said Trump was "right that Europe needs to pull its weight" and called on Sir Keir to "get on a plane to Washington and show some leadership".
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Sir Keir will travel to Washington DC next week for his first in-person meeting with Trump. But the deepening rift between Trump and Zelensky has now increased the political jeopardy for him.
The row between Trump and Zelensky has increased the political jeopardy for Sir Keir, ahead of a high-stakes meeting with the US president next week.
The PM has said he wants to use his meeting with Trump next week to discuss a "US backstop" that he says is necessary to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again.
The prime minister will travel to Washington DC for his first in-person meeting with Trump as he seeks to influence the American approach to ending the war in Ukraine.
There has been widespread criticism of Trump's comments in the UK.
Sir Keir has said he wants to use his meeting with Trump next week to discuss a "US backstop" that he says is necessary to deter Russia from attacking its neighbour again.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said calling Zelensky a dictator "must be where the line is drawn" and he hoped "the whole political spectrum... will speak with one voice in opposition to Trump's lies".
The prime minister has said he would be prepared to deploy British troops to Ukraine to help guarantee its security as part of a peace deal.
Former Conservative PM Boris Johnson posted on X to say "of course Ukraine didn't start the war".
Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Andrei Kelin, the Russian ambassador to the UK, said Moscow would not accept troops from the UK or other European nations in Ukraine, even if President Trump approved it.
"Trump's statements are not intended to be historically accurate but to shock Europeans into action," he added.
Kelin also questioned whether there could be a potential peace agreement without fresh elections in Ukraine.
Conservative MP and former security minister Tom Tugendhat said Zelensky was "no more a dictator than [former British PM Sir Winston Churchill]".
Zelensky won a five-year term in 2019 and has remained in office because elections have been suspended since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion.
"Putin is determined on destroying the US built alliances to advance his power."
The former head of the UK's foreign intelligence service MI6 has said Trump's comments are "unfortunate" and will "embolden" Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Sir Alex Younger told BBC Newsnight: "I don't know whether Donald Trump buys the Russian line but I think the Russians probably think he does and I think that significantly diminishes his leverage."
Sir Keir has said he would be prepared to deploy British troops to Ukraine to help guarantee its security as part of a peace deal provided there was a US "backstop".
Speaking to BBC Newsnight, the Russian ambassador to the UK said Moscow would not accept troops from the UK or other European nations in Ukraine, even if Trump approved the idea.
'Not sure' Ukrainians would choose Zelensky as next leader, says Russian ambassador
'Not sure' Ukrainians would choose Zelensky as next leader, says Russian ambassador
Asked if Russia would give back some of the territory it had seized from Ukraine, Kelin said: "Why should we? We have liberated these territories, upon which Russian people are living for centuries."
Mr Kelin also questioned whether there could be a potential peace agreement without fresh elections in Ukraine.
The UK and other European nations have been scrambling to respond to this week's rapid developments, almost three years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Asked if his country would give back some of the territory it had seized from Ukraine, the Russian ambassador said: "Why should we? We have liberated these territories, upon which Russian people are living for centuries."
The week started with diplomats from the US and Russian meeting in Saudi Arabia for talks aimed at ending the war.
The US was accused of sidelining European leaders, including Zelensky, by not inviting them.
Then on Tuesday, President Trump appeared to blame Ukraine for the war and suggested the Zelensky's popularity rating was as low as 4%.
It's unclear what source the president was citing as he didn't provide evidence. A survey conducted this month found that 57% of Ukrainians said they trusted the president, according to the Ukraine-based Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
In his remarks on Wednesday, Trump warned Zelensky that "he is not going to have a country left" if he did not make peace.
In the UK, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said calling Zelensky a dictator "must be where the line is drawn".
He wrote on X: "It is my sincere hope that the whole political spectrum in the United Kingdom will speak with one voice in opposition to Trump's lies."
Tory MP and former cabinet minister James Cleverly said Trump was wrong about Zelensky and urged Foreign Secretary David Lammy to "say so", adding "his silence is deafening".
"The UK & USA must send the message that we don't let tyrants win!," he posted.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also waded into the war of words, posting to say "of course Ukraine didn't start the war".
He added: "Trump's statements are not intended to be historically accurate but to shock Europeans into action."
Earlier, UK Defence Secretary John Healey visited Norway's border with Russia with Norwegian defence minister Tore Sandvik.
Asked whether the UK agreed with Trump's suggestion that Ukraine "started it", Healey told reporters: "Three years ago, one country illegally invaded another, and since then the Ukrainians have been fighting for their freedom.
"They've been fighting for their future, and they still are.
"So whilst all the focus may be on talks, not even negotiations, our concern as defence ministers is that we're not jeopardising the peace by forgetting about the war."
