Britain will continue to "make the case" to Donald Trump regarding ongoing support for Ukraine amid growing friction between Kyiv and Washington, a minister has said.
Diplomatic ties between the two nations have frayed over the past week after the US president chose to ease sanctions on Russian diesel in response to rising fuel prices.
The situation deteriorated further on Wednesday when an adviser to Volodymyr Zelensky accused Elon Musk’s SpaceX of placing speed caps on Starlink terminals attached to Ukrainian drones.
Ukraine relies heavily on the satellite network for defence against aerial strikes and for guiding long-range drones towards military targets inside Russia.
However, Mr Musk stated that the military application of Starlink remains under US government control, attributing the disruption to the Pentagon and, ultimately, Mr Trump.
Reports on Wednesday night suggested the speed restrictions had been partially removed, yet Ukrainian forces continued to encounter difficulties intercepting incoming Russian attacks.
Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky told the Financial Times his country would resume attacks on Russian oil refineries, saying Moscow had failed to observe Mr Trump’s demand for an “energy ceasefire”.
And he criticised the US president’s willingness to strike deals with Russia and apparent admiration for Vladimir Putin, saying: “He speaks about it openly and loudly that he loves such people and he respects such people.
“Because for him people who can be leaders 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, it means they can be very strong.”
Critics argue the waiving of sanctions on fuel sales by Moscow will only serve to bankroll its war against Ukraine.
Asked about Mr Zelensky’s comments and the breakdown in relations between the US and Ukraine on Thursday morning, skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith declined to criticise Washington’s apparently waning support for Kyiv.
She told Times Radio: “I think we have shown clearly what our position is with respect to Ukraine.
“We will continue to make the case to the US and other allies that we think they should be providing the kind of support that we are providing to Ukraine.”
Baroness Smith also insisted that the UK is “pretty direct and clear” with the US about “the support that we believe Ukraine deserves and needs in order to protect all of us”.
Speaking to Sky News, she added: “We'll continue to stand by Ukraine. We're increasing the provision of lightweight missiles, for example. We're providing additional money to help to protect the the barrier around Chernobyl.
“We brought in a new package of sanctions just last week against Russian individuals, oil companies, and ships. And what's more, we will continue to work with our allies - the US and others - to try to make sure that that they also are continuing to support Ukraine.”
It comes after prime minister Andy Burnham told MPs on Wednesday he would be “careful” in his language about Mr Trump’s diesel deal as he was “laying the ground” for a reconciliation between Washington and Kyiv.
In a show of support, Mr Burnham hosted Mr Zelensky at Downing Street where he pledged continued UK backing.
Mr Zelensky received an unprecedented honour guard made up of troops from the Irish Guards on his arrival at No 10 and was told by Mr Burnham that Britain is “behind you and that will not change” as he accelerated supplies of crucial air defence missiles to the country.
The prime minister said the UK would continue in its “diplomatic efforts” to secure international supplies of defensive equipment and focus on developing new ways of supporting Kyiv on the battlefield, such as retrofitting British capability onto supplies gifted from other nations.
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