Britain just defied Trump and sided with Ukraine over Russia

Donald Trump just said Ukraine needs a new president.

And Britain just said the exact opposite.

Trump said it to reporters on the White House South Lawn a few hours ago. His words: "I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president." He said Volodymyr Zelenskyy could have made many deals but never does.

So why now? A day earlier, Trump announced a deal with Vladimir Putin, Russia's president. Sanctions on Russian diesel ease. Russia sends more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and world markets straight away. Then 500,000 tonnes next month. Then a million tonnes. Then three million more after that.

Zelenskyy called that a weak decision.

Then, overnight, Russia hit back in a different way. Glide bombs hit homes in Zaporizhzhia. Ukraine's state rescue service says at least 20 people are dead, including three children. Zelenskyy's own first count was lower, 12 dead with 12 more being checked. The number grew as the hours passed.

Zelenskyy wrote online that Russia had just shown its thanks for the lifting of diesel sanctions by dropping five glide bombs on homes in Zaporizhzhia.

So that's Zelenskyy putting the diesel deal and the deaths in the same breath.

Andriy Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign minister, backed him. He said Zelenskyy has the support of the Ukrainian people, and they are the ones who get to decide who leads them.

Britain answered within hours.

Andy Burnham, the prime minister, called Zelenskyy earlier today. His office called it "complete solidarity". Downing Street said the UK would keep strengthening sanctions on Russia and keep acting to constrain the Russian war machine, building on the new UK measures against Russian targets announced this week.

That's Downing Street promising more pressure, not less, at the exact moment Washington is easing it.

Zelenskyy, describing the call himself, said British leadership always matters, and that Britain will keep ramping up sanctions pressure on Russia over its escalation. He and Burnham have agreed to meet in person in the coming days.

Zelenskyy also briefed Jonas Gahr Støre, Norway's prime minister, on the attack the same day. A second European leader, pulled in alongside Britain.

And this isn't Britain's first move this week.

A few days ago, Ed Miliband, the foreign secretary, made his first visit to Ukraine in the job. He met Zelenskyy and Sybiha at Pryluky, in the Chernihiv region. Shortly before that visit, a Russian missile strike on that same town had killed at least 22 people, including five children. Miliband announced around £54 million in winter aid there, and around 40 new sanctions on Russia.

So Britain had already moved before Trump ever spoke.

What his comments did was put London and Washington on opposite sides of the same war, in public, on the same day.

Trump has not responded directly to Burnham or to Downing Street's sanctions pledge. It is not known whether any ally beyond Norway will line up behind Britain, or exactly what new sanctions Burnham's pledge covers beyond what was announced this week.

Russia's full invasion started in February 2022. It still holds about a fifth of Ukraine.

Trump wants a deal. Britain, for now, wants the pressure to keep growing.