Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has backed Volodymyr Zelensky as a "democratically elected leader" after Donald Trump described the Ukrainian president as a "dictator".

Axar.az reports that citing BBc, Sir Keir called Zelensky on Wednesday evening and told him it was "perfectly reasonable" for Ukraine to "suspend elections during wartime as the UK did during World War Two", Downing Street said.

Trump had earlier criticised Zelensky, saying he had done a "terrible job" and claiming "he refuses to have elections" in Ukraine.

Zelensky's five-year term was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended since martial law was declared after Russia's invasion.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, on the other hand, considered Trump’s remarks calling Zelensky a dictator to be wrong and dangerous.