Zelenskyy flies from Poland to London in first onward trip from there since White Eagle order row

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in London on Wednesday. The meeting comes as Kyiv and its European supporters work to bolster Ukrainian defenses amid Russia's increasing bombardment and concerns about the commitment of the Trump administration to support Ukraine in its fight against Moscow's invasion, which started in February 2022.

Burnham's office announced that the U.K. government will provide urgent assistance to Ukraine in the coming weeks and will expedite the delivery of air defense missiles, which Ukraine urgently needs before the harsh winter arrives. This statement is not the first instance of a surprise decision by the U.S. President Donald Trump, which has left Ukrainian and Western European leaders concerned.

Trump's decision to strike a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel, amid international efforts to sanction Russia's economy and isolate Putin, added to a growing list of instances where Trump has sided with Putin while ignoring Zelenskyy.

Burnham emphasized that his message to the Ukrainian people is clear - they are with them for as long as it takes, and they will go further and faster in their support to back the courageous fight for peace in Europe. Analysts noted that Trump's move has bolstered Europe's resolve to stand firm behind Kyiv. Ahead of a challenging winter for Ukraine, Donald Trump's shift towards Russia is worrying, according to Rym Momtaz of Carnegie Europe.

However, rather than panicking, Kyiv's European allies are now focusing on taking action. Britain, along with the European Union, is also considering imposing more sanctions on Russia. London has also urged Moscow to observe a partial ceasefire that Trump announced, halting strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities. Zelenskyy has affirmed that Ukraine is observing the energy ceasefire.

Burnham's first foreign trip as Prime Minister was to Kyiv, where he offered to share technology for creating long-range missiles. In response, Russia accused Britain of participating in the war on Kyiv's side.