Ekaterina Girnyk07:34, 10.03.25

Britain is seeking to prevent a new quarrel between Zelensky and Trump.

Britain is advising Ukraine on its talks with the United States in Saudi Arabia . The British prime minister’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, travelled to Ukraine over the weekend to provide Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with instructions to avoid a repeat of the disastrous Oval Office row with Donald Trump, The Times reports.

“Powell is believed to have advised Zelensky to make it clear that he was responding to American requests in order to emphasize to Trump that Russia was the main obstacle to peace,” the newspaper writes.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also trying to persuade Trump to resume intelligence sharing with Ukraine after it was abruptly cut off last week, which could hamper Kyiv’s ability to defend its cities from Russian strikes.

“Britain hopes that Trump can be persuaded to reverse his decision to share intelligence, which is seen as more urgent and feasible than resuming military aid, which the US has also suspended,” The Times writes.

Starmer is said to have spoken over the weekend to French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who is visiting Washington this week, about the need to resume intelligence sharing with Kyiv. Powell also pressed Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, on the issue.

On Monday, the Ukrainian president will fly to Saudi Arabia, where he will meet with the country’s leader Mohammed bin Salman ahead of talks between Ukrainian and American officials. Zelensky himself will not attend the talks, but his chief of staff Andriy Yermak will be part of the Ukrainian delegation. However, the UK will not participate in the talks, and British officials will travel to Saudi Arabia only at Ukraine’s request.

(c)UNIAN 2025