King Charles III shakes hands with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at Buckingham Palace, London, February 2023. Photo: AFP / Pool
By Sachin Ravikumar, Reuters
Volodymyr Zelensky meets British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday and will visit King Charles on Sunday (local time), a show of support for the Ukrainian leader who was publicly berated by Donald Trump in front of the world's media at the White House.
Zelensky flew into Britain from the United States on Saturday morning for a wider summit of European leaders on Sunday to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine.
In an extraordinary Oval Office meeting on Friday, Trump threatened to withdraw support for Ukraine three years after Russia invaded its smaller neighbour, and after Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron had held apparently successful meetings with Trump to persuade him to continue support for Kyiv.
European leaders issued messages of support for Zelensky and Ukraine shortly after the meeting, highlighting a major rift between traditional allies the United States and Europe over the war since Trump returned to office.
Starmer spoke to both Trump and Zelensky on Friday and expressed his "unwavering support" for Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, 28 February 2025. Photo: SAUL LOEB
Zelensky was due to meet Starmer at his Downing Street office on Saturday evening. A Ukrainian presidential spokesperson said he would also meet King Charles on Sunday.
Britain's Sun newspaper said the meeting would take place at the monarch's Sandringham estate in eastern England.
Britain has been a vocal backer of Ukraine and Charles has previously expressed his support for Zelensky, speaking of the "determination and strength" of the Ukrainian people in the face of an unprovoked attack from Russia.
During Starmer's visit to the White House he presented Trump with a written invitation from the king for a state visit, which would make the US president the first elected political leader in modern times to be hosted for two state visits by a British monarch.
- Reuters
