Number 10 and Labour figures react to ‘troubling’ Trump-Zelensky clash

Labour figures have criticised Donald Trump following his verbal attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a White House meeting.

In front of television cameras, the US President argued with the Ukrainian leader, calling him “disrespectful” and warning he was “gambling with World War Three”.

Zelensky left earlier than planned from the White House, without signing a deal on rare earth minerals as planned.

Following the exchange, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham called on the international community to rally to the support of Zelensky and Ukraine.

He said: “People whose countries haven’t recently experienced the trauma of invasion should not bully nor lecture those who have.”

Trade minister Douglas Alexander echoed his remarks on BBC’s Any Questions.

He said: “It is my personal view that Volodomyr Zelensky is probably the bravest political leader in Europe since Winston Churchill.

“That exchange was deeply troubling and sobering that we witnessed tonight. The only winner from the division of the West is going to be President Putin – and it demonstrated in the starkest possible terms the extent to which the world we have all experienced over the last 80 years has changed beyond recognition.”

‘What a horrific end to a horrific week’

Following the clash, Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel said he had seen first-hand “the brutality and aggression of the Russian state” on a recent visit to Ukraine.

He said: “I will always stand with Ukraine and President Zelensky and never forget that Ukraine has been invaded twice by Russia, its people killed and its children stolen.”

Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, also expressed her dismay at the attack by President Trump.

She said: “We appear to have an American President and his sidekick who think putting leaders of countries that have been invaded by dictators on the naughty step is the way to progress peace. This is not the way to make anyone or anything great again.”

Zubir Ahmed, Glasgow South West MP and PPS to Wes Streeting, said that Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have been “holding the line between darkness and light on the continent of Europe”.

“It’s our job to make sure light prevails,” he said.

Croydon East MP Natasha Irons, Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West MP Chi Onwurah and Labour peer Kevin Brennan also shared messages of support for Ukraine, with Hemel Hempstead MP David Taylor posting: “What a horrific end to a horrific week.”

PM ‘retains unwavering support for Ukraine’

More than a dozen European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have expressed their support for Ukraine following the tirade.

A Number 10 spokesperson confirmed that Keir Starmer has spoken to both Donald Trump and Volodmyr Zelensky tonight and said: “[Starmer] retains unwavering support for Ukraine, and is doing all he can to find a path forward to a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine.

“The Prime Minister looks forward to hosting international leaders on Sunday, including President Zelensky.”

Figures from across the political spectrum in Britain have also shown solidarity with Ukraine, with Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch stressing that a peace agreement “must be negotiated with Ukraine at the table and will need security guarantees”.

She said: “We need to remember that the villain is the war criminal President Putin who illegally invaded another sovereign country – Ukraine. A divided West only benefits Russia. Now is the time for more cooperation, not less.”

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey condemned the “thuggery from Trump and Vance” and said: “They are bullying the brave true patriot Zelensky into accepting a deal which effectively hands victory to Russia. Unless the UK and Europe step up, we are facing a betrayal of Ukraine.”

While Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has not yet posted on social media about Trump’s outburst, the party’s candidate for Greater Lincolnshire Andrea Jenkyns said that the “staged public humiliation” of Zelensky was “wrong”.

“Whatever you think of Zelensky, the Ukrainian people have been through so much devastation and have been fighting for their sovereignty. If another country had invaded Britain, we would rightly fight for our freedom.”

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