Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky is off to meet King Charles.
The Ukarinian dictator met with Sir Starmer on Saturday a day after a heated clash with Donald Trump in the White House on Friday. During their meeting Starmer pledged £2 billion weapons loan to Zelesnky and told him he had the ‘UK’s full backing’.
As European leaders gather in London Sunday for a defence summit hosted by Starmer, Zelensky is on his way to meet with King Charles III
Birds of a feather….
BBC reports: At Downing Street on Saturday, Zelenskyy said: “I’m very happy that His Majesty the King accepted my meeting tomorrow.”
Keir Starmer also spoke to reporters before the pair’s meeting, reiterating his support for Ukraine and Zelenskyy in the aftermath of the latter’s disastrous meeting with Trump on Friday.
“You have the full backing across the United Kingdom, and we stand with you and Ukraine for as long as it may take,” he said.
He emphasised the UK’s “absolute” and “unwavering” determination to achieve “what we both want to achieve, which is… a lasting peace for Ukraine based on sovereignty and security”.
Zelenskyy thanked Starmer for his support, and said: “We are happy to have such partners and such friends.”
Zelenskyy first met the King during his surprise visit to the UK in February 2023, when the King told him “we’ve all been worried about you and thinking about your country for so long”.
The Ukrainian president used his address to Parliament during that visit to thank the UK for its steadfast support, finishing by saying “God bless Great Britain and long live the King”.
They also shook hands and had a private summit at the European Political Community summit in Oxfordshire in July 2024.
Their latest meeting will come after Zelenskyy’s unprecedented public clash with US President Donald Trump and his vice president JD Vance in the White House’s Oval Office on Friday.