The Conservative Party leader also said she “wouldn’t be afraid” to call Russian President Vladimir Putin a dictator if it were her heading to the White House for talks with US President Donald Trump this week rather than Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
It comes as the transatlantic alliance on the war in Ukraine has been put under severe strain by the president’s approach to ending the conflict, opening talks with Mr Putin, branding Mr Zelensky a “dictator” and suggesting Kyiv’s forces were to blame for the war.
Asked what she would say to Mr Trump following his recent comments if it was her heading to Washington this week, Mrs Badenoch said she “wouldn’t be afraid to” say that Mr Putin is a dictator.
“America is an ally, but I’ve been very clear that I disagree with President Trump when he said that President Zelensky was a dictator.
“It shares those same Western values that we share – free trade, free enterprise, free speech – but what we see it doing is acting in its national interests.
