British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy he had “full backing across the UK.”
“We stand with you and Ukraine for as long as it may take,” Starmer said.
Starmer greeted Zelenskiy with a warm embrace yesterday after the Ukrainian leader flew to London for talks following his clash at the White House with US President Donald Trump.
In an extraordinary Oval Office meeting on Friday, Trump threatened to withdraw support for Ukraine, three years after Russia invaded its smaller neighbour.
In London, a crowd cheered as Zelenskiy arrived for talks with Starmer at his Downing Street office before a summit of European leaders that the Ukrainian president will attend today to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine.
“I hope you heard some of that cheering in the street. That is the people of the UK coming out to demonstrate how much they support you ... and our absolute determination to stand with you,” Starmer told him.
Other European leaders also issued messages of support for Zelenskiy and Ukraine after his meeting with Trump, highlighting differences between traditional allies the US and Europe over the war since Trump returned to office.
Starmer spoke to both Trump and Zelenskiy on Friday, and French President Emmanuel Macron also visited Trump in Washington this week.
Zelenskiy is also due to meet King Charles today. 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 Zelenskiy, speaking of the “determination and strength” of the Ukrainian people in the face of an unprovoked attack from Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Zelenskiy and Trump yesterday and called for calm in an interview following Friday’s White House clash.
Zelenskiy said he had “important and warm” talks with Starmer, with a discussion on strengthening Ukraine’s position and obtaining reliable security guarantees.
Senior Russian politicians have reacted with glee to what they see as Zelenskiy’s White House humiliation, saying the Ukrainian leader got what he deserved and that US military aid to Kyiv must now be cut.
The French presidency said Macron had also spoken to Starmer, European Council President Antonio Costa and Nato chief Mark Rutte, on the eve of the London summit.
Macron said Zelenskiy had told him he was willing to “restore dialogue” with the US, including on a deal giving US access to revenues from Ukraine’s natural resources, but did not say what Trump told him in the call.
In an interview with CNN on Friday, Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Zelenskiy to “apologise for turning this thing into the fiasco for him that it became.”
In an interview with Fox News on Friday Zelenskiy said he believed his relationship with Trump could be salvaged and appeared to express some regret, saying “I’m sorry for this.”
Zelensky has hailed a “meaningful and warm meeting” with Starmer – during which the two sides agreed a £2.26 billion ($2.8bn) loan to Kyiv.
Posting on X, Zelensky wrote: “This loan will enhance Ukraine’s defence capabilities and will be repaid using revenues from frozen Russian assets.
“The funds will be directed toward weapons production in Ukraine. This is true justice – the one who started the war must be the one to pay.
“I thank the people and government of the UK for their tremendous support from the very beginning of this war.”
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