Andy Burnham hugged Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street today in a public show of support for the Ukrainian President amid his latest spat with Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister warmly greeted Mr Zelensky, who was afforded a red carpet welcome and guard of honour outside No10, before they headed inside for talks.

Mr Zelensky was also met by cheers from Foreign Office staff who had turned out for  his arrival.

It was reminiscent of the embrace given to Mr Zelensky by Mr Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, following the explosive White House meeting between Ukraine’s wartime leader and Mr Trump in March last year.

Speaking in the House of Commons earlier on Wednesday, Mr Burnham branded Mr Trump’s new diesel deal with Vladimir Putin a ‘dark moment’ for Ukraine and vowed to ‘repair bridges’ between the US and Ukraine.

The US President has eased sanctions on Russian diesel ahead of crucial mid-term elections in America, which have been overshadowed by soaring fuel prices.

Andy Burnham hugged Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street today in a public show of support for the Ukrainian President amid his latest spat with Donald Trump

The Prime Minister warmly greeted Mr Zelensky, who was afforded a red carpet welcome and guard of honour outside No10, before they headed inside for talks

Mr Zelensky was also met by cheers from Foreign Office staff who had turned out for the Ukrainian President’s arrival

Donald Trump has eased sanctions on Russian diesel ahead of crucial US mid-term elections, which have been overshadowed by soaring fuel prices

In recent days, Mr Trump has also suggested Ukraine needs a new leader to replace Mr Zelensky and claimed Mr Putin, the Russian President, wants a peace deal more than Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Ukraine on Wednesday accused the US of assisting Russia’s war effort after key internet services were ‘throttled’ overnight. 

A speed limit introduced on some Starlink services – owned by Trump ally Elon Musk’s SpaceX – is said to have left Kyiv with little or no warning of Russian attacks.

Igor Novikov, a former adviser to Mr Zelensky, told Times Radio that whoever was behind limiting Ukraine’s use of Starlink, ‘be that President Trump or Elon Musk, has now got blood on their hands’.

At the start of their talks in Downing Street, Mr Burnham told Mr Zelensky that Britain’s support for Ukraine ‘will not change’.

‘You have seen the solidarity and the support you have got from everybody here in Britain,’ the PM said. ‘We are behind you and that will not change.’

He added that recent days had been ‘dark and difficult’ for Ukraine, which has suffered ‘heavy bombardment in the last 24 hours’, and he extended the UK’s condolences to those who had lost loved ones.

Mr Burnham said Mr Zelensky was ‘prepared to sit down and discuss’ the energy ceasefire proposed by Mr Trump, but added: ‘Sadly, what we have seen from Russia is further attacks on critical national infrastructure in Ukraine.’

He continued: ‘In these moments, Britain will continue to provide you with whatever support we can.’

Mr Zelensky said he was ‘thankful’ for British support, saying: ‘Our people, we survived and continue to do this because we have strong partners and I’m very proud that we have one of the strongest partners in our history and it’s your people, Andy.’

Speaking in the House of Commons earlier on Wednesday, Mr Burnham branded Mr Trump’s new diesel deal with Vladimir Putin a ‘dark moment’ for Ukraine 

Mr Zelensky met with Mr Burnham in Downing Street after earlier meeting with King Charles in Buckingham Palace

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions ahead of his talks with Mr Zelensky on Wednesday, Mr Burnham said the Ukrainian President was ‘carrying the heaviest of weights right now’.

Mr Burnham also set out his intent to try and fix relations between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky, as he told MPs he was being ‘careful’ in his language. 

‘I called him on Saturday because I recognised it was another very dark and difficult moment for him as they contemplate a winter that will be severe for his people,’ the PM said.

‘I recognise that he is carrying the heaviest of weights right now and it is extremely difficult for him.

‘What I have to do in my role is try and repair bridges so that the support comes back. So I should, at this moment in time, be careful in terms of laying the ground to bring people back together.

‘That is the role I intend to play, it’s the right role for me to play in this moment. I will listen to President Zelensky carefully, but he won’t be going away from Britain today empty-handed.’

Mr Burnham made the comments after being challenged by Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey to condemn Mr Trump’s ‘shameful’ betrayal of Ukraine.

‘Scared of the mid-terms, President Trump has done a deal with Vladimir Putin to buy Russian diesel, ripping up international sanctions against Putin,’ Sir Ed said.

‘The PM studiously avoided commenting on Trump’s behaviour on Monday.

‘But this House does deserve to know his position as does, frankly, President Zelensky and our brave Ukrainian allies.

‘So let me ask the PM this, doesn’t he agree this is yet another shameful Trump betrayal of the Ukrainian people and European security?’