Britain will fund critical repairs to the Chernobyl power plant hit by a Russian drone attack as Andy Burnham sought to bolster support for Ukraine amid “dark and difficult days” for the war-torn country.
The UK will provide £17 million to help restore its protective shelter and ventilation, which were damaged by an attack last year, amid concerns that corrosion could create longer-term environmental and safety risks.
Chancellor John Healey said the Government’s commitment to the Ukrainian people was “unshakeable”, while Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Britain will “stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and will do so until they prevail”.
The UK’s funding pledge is part of a wider international programme coordinated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, working alongside the Ukrainian government and G7 donors.
It comes after the Prime Minister hosted Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street on Wednesday, when he told the Ukrainian president the UK was “behind you and that will not change”.
Mr Zelensky received an unprecedented honour guard made up of troops from the Irish Guards on his arrival at No 10.
The meeting came during a period of strained relations between Ukraine and the US after Donald Trump eased sanctions on Russian diesel last week as high fuel prices in America threatened to overshadow November’s mid-term elections.
The UK responded to news of the deal by pledging to “maintain pressure on Russia”.
In recent days, the US president has also suggested Ukraine needs a new leader and claimed Russian leader Vladimir Putin wants a peace deal more than the government in Kyiv.
Mr Zelensky has also said use of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications system was “blocked” and that as a result “people will die”, admitting that he felt betrayed by Mr Trump.
“It’s a pity that we are losing, we are losing a strong partner,” he told Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Starlink is used by Ukraine to defend against aerial attacks and for long-range drones targeting Russian sites.
Speaking in the Commons ahead of his meeting with Mr Zelensky, the Prime Minister said he would seek to restore Donald Trump’s support for Ukraine.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Burnham said he was being “careful” in his language after Mr Trump’s diesel deal with Russia, as he said he was “laying the ground” for a reconciliation.
He added: “I will listen to President Zelensky carefully, but he won’t be going away from Britain today empty-handed.”
During his meeting with Mr Zelensky, he confirmed that the UK would accelerate the supply of crucial air defence missiles to Ukraine amid “heavy bombardment” from Russia.
The accelerated support will see faster deliveries of British lightweight multi-role missiles to Ukraine, which have proved effective against Russian jet-powered drones.
Russia continues to pound Ukraine’s power grid, as well as oil and gas facilities, after Mr Trump claimed that the two countries had agreed to an “energy ceasefire”.
Announcing new funding for repairs at Chernobyl, Mr Healey said: “As the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Putin continues, our commitment to the Ukrainian people is unshakeable.
“We are curtailing the war chest funding Putin so desperately wants and backing the reconstruction of Ukraine that has suffered at the hands of his barbaric attacks.”
Mr Miliband said: “Our message to Putin is clear – we stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and will do so until they prevail.
“Working with our allies, we are strengthening Ukraine’s security, raising the cost of Russia’s aggression and working towards a just and lasting peace.”
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