UK says it will repair Ukraine-US ties and step up pressure on Russia ahead of Zelensky visit

The UK prime minister has said he wants to "repair bridges" between Ukraine and the United States as he prepares to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky at Downing Street. The comments came after Donald Trump said he had struck a deal with Moscow to import Russian diesel, a move that has added strain to allied diplomacy over Ukraine. The UK leader said Zelensky would not be leaving Britain "empty-handed", signalling fresh support for Kyiv.

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He said further military and financial support would be drawn up in the coming weeks. He also said the UK would accelerate deliveries of air defence missiles to Ukraine, a step that comes as Kyiv faces another winter of attacks on its energy system. During parliamentary questions, he avoided directly criticising Trump, saying he wanted to be careful about "laying the ground to bring people back together".

The UK is also expected to announce further sanctions against Russia. In addition, it will urge allies to increase pressure on Moscow, including through a possible ban on Russian liquefied natural gas. The chancellor is due to use International Monetary Fund meetings to press for that step, underlining the wider effort to keep Western economic pressure coordinated.

The timing matters because the row comes as Ukraine seeks to preserve support from its main partners while facing renewed uncertainty in transatlantic politics. Any shift in US policy on Russian energy could affect the broader sanctions regime and the political message sent to Moscow. For Kyiv, the combination of military aid, financial backing and sanctions remains central to its ability to sustain the war effort.

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The prime minister said he had spoken to Zelensky by phone on Saturday, describing it as a "very dark and difficult moment" for him as Ukraine prepares for a severe winter. He also said he had met Zelensky at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, showing that the two leaders have already been in contact as the diplomatic pressure builds. The exchange in parliament also highlighted concern among opposition figures about the implications of Trump's reported diesel deal with Moscow.

What remains unclear is how quickly the promised support package will be finalised and whether allies will agree on tougher measures against Russian energy exports. It is also not yet clear how far the UK can influence Washington's position or whether the proposed LNG restrictions will gain wider backing. The Zelensky visit is likely to be used to set out the next stage of the UK's approach to Ukraine support and Russia pressure.

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