Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with King Charles after attending an urgent summit with European leaders in London, where he was encouraged to mend ties with President Trump. Dressed in all black, Zelensky was seen shaking hands with a smiling King Charles outside his Sandringham estate after arriving from London by helicopter.
Locals had gathered outside the estate in the Norfolk countryside, hoping to catch a glimpse of President Zelensky, with some waving Ukrainian flags in blue and yellow. Zelensky sought to strengthen ties with his European allies two days after his scheduled discussions with Trump erupted into a heated argument, with none of the leaders signing the mineral deal.
Zelensky Tries to Impress UK
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For the most part, he was met with a warm welcome, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told fellow world leaders that Ukraine’s success was “vital to the security of every nation here and many others too.”
However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni—who has fostered a close relationship with Trump—was among those urging Zelensky to mend ties with the United States, warning that failure to do so could lead to a “divided West” as the Ukraine-Russia war enters its fourth year.
This comes just days after Trump accepted an invitation from King Charles for an “unprecedented” second State Visit, praising the monarch as a “wonderful man.”
Meanwhile, Zelensky arrived in the UK on Saturday for a defense summit with European leaders, hosted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Lancaster House in London on Sunday. He said: “I’m very happy that His Majesty the King accepted my meeting tomorrow.”
The two had previously met during Zelensky’s unexpected visit to the UK in February 2023, when King Charles expressed his concern, saying, “We’ve all been worried about you and thinking about your country for so long”.
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A spokesman for the Ukrainian President said: “Tomorrow (Sunday), there will be a series of bilateral meetings, including one with King Charles III and the European leaders’ meeting on supporting Ukraine.”
No More Wrong Moves
Zelensky received a warm reception at Downing Street yesterday, with Keir pledging Britain’s “complete support.” In an emotional moment, crowds gathered along the street, cheering as the Prime Minister embraced him in a firm hug before they began crucial discussions.
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Keir told Zelensky: “You have full backing across the United Kingdom and we have full backing for Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
The Ukrainian president said, “With pleasure, thank you very much Keir, Mr Prime Minister, happy to be here. Really, I saw a lot of people, and I want to thank you, people of the United Kingdom, such big support from the very beginning of this war, thank you, your team”.
Meanwhile, sources revealed that King Charles’ official welcome for the Ukrainian leader had been arranged before Zelensky’s public confrontation with Trump—emphasizing that it was not a response to their dispute.
One user said: “Zelensky was always due to be in the UK this weekend and so a meeting with the King was pencilled in.”
