Prime Minister Andy Burnham has cautioned against reading “too much into” US-brokered Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi, insisting the focus must remain on securing a ceasefire rather than broader security arrangements.
Speaking at the European Political Community summit in Dublin, Mr Burnham promised Volodymyr Zelensky his “complete support” in the latest efforts to end the war and said he would push for European representation in the negotiations.
UK National Security Adviser to join talks
Mr Burnham confirmed that UK national security adviser Jonathan Powell will join the Ukrainian president’s meeting with Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Dublin. Mr Zelensky had indicated he expected to be updated by the US envoys following their talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, during which they discussed the peace efforts in Abu Dhabi.
“Clearly it’s progress that talks are taking place, but I think it would be premature to read too much into them,” Mr Burnham told reporters. “The feeling here today is that we must continue to back up President Zelensky in any way we can support him in this process. It’s got to be about a ceasefire in Ukraine, rather than the issues Russia wants to put on the table around security arrangements in Europe.”
Fresh sanctions on Russian oil firms
The Prime Minister also announced a fresh package of sanctions on Moscow, covering all 10 of Russia’s major oil producers. “Today, Britain has confirmed more sanctions on Russian oil companies, to the point now where all of the top 10 oil companies in Russia are sanctioned by Britain,” he said. “We are continuing to take practical action to prevent Putin’s war machine being funded. The support from Britain continues, and it’s really important that we don’t get drawn in to the talks and then lose our focus on protecting the Ukrainian position now, which is what Britain will continue to do.”
Downing Street earlier said the new sanctions included shadow fleet vessels illicitly transporting Russian oil, Russian oil company Slavneft, and Rosneft’s flagship Arctic oil and gas project LLC Vostok Oil.
European representation and support
Asked whether Ukraine was in a weaker position because of a lack of European voices at the negotiating table, Mr Burnham rejected the premise, saying: “There are European voices in the room. Our national security adviser for one… So I don’t think I accept the premise of your question.” He added that leaders he had spoken to “are determined to put a bit of a ring of steel around Zelensky”.
Earlier, Mr Burnham co-chaired a group meeting on Ukraine with the country’s president, using the Dublin gathering to urge leaders from some 50 nations to ramp up pressure on Mr Putin to take peace talks seriously. At the Ukraine meeting, he said allies of Ukraine welcomed the resumption of peace talks but said Europe should play a part.
The talks in Abu Dhabi followed two days of negotiations involving representatives from the US, Russia and Ukraine on ending the war triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion, with Mr Zelensky stressing he wanted to see Europe involved, something Russia opposes.
At the start of the EPC Ukraine meeting, Mr Burnham said: “I’m sure I speak for everybody in saying you have our complete support, both in terms of resisting the aggression that you continue to face, but also in the negotiation process that has started.” He added that allies will try to support Ukraine “in every way possible through that process”, and “we will obviously continue to press for European representation in that process”.
Mr Burnham and Mr Zelensky sat side by side at the head of the table at the meeting attended by more than a dozen leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Ireland’s Micheál Martin and Canada’s Mark Carney, as well as the presidents of the EU Commission and Council and the chief of Nato.
EU summit preparations
Mr Burnham will also use the EPC summit to “drive forward the UK’s ambition for a new relationship with the European Union”, No 10 said. The Labour leader arrived in Dublin on Thursday afternoon after flying in from Turkey, where he attended the UN Cop31 climate conference. He has recently reopened the debate about Britain’s future relationship with the bloc and is preparing for a UK-EU summit in Brussels next Friday. He was meeting some European leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, for the first time face-to-face in the margins of the EPC, as he warms up for the Brussels summit.
