British PM Keir Starmer greets Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at 10 Downing Street, London. (AP Photo)
London: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warmly embraced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy upon his arrival at 10 Downing Street, reaffirming the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine just a day after a tense confrontation between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump at the White House.
Cheers erupted from the gathered crowd as Zelenskyy arrived, with Starmer greeting him with a hug before ushering him inside for discussions ahead of a crucial European leaders’ summit in London. The meeting, set to address how European nations can defend Ukraine—and themselves—if the US withdraws its support, has taken on new urgency following Trump’s televised rebuke of Zelenskyy.
“And as you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom,” Starmer assured Zelenskyy. “We stand with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it may take.” Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to both Starmer and the people of the UK for their steadfast support and friendship. Later that evening, Starmer also spoke with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the prime minister’s office.
The meeting followed a dramatic diplomatic clash in Washington, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance harshly criticized Zelenskyy on live television in the Oval Office, accusing him of not showing enough gratitude for US assistance. Zelenskyy had been set to sign a deal granting the US access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, but he departed without finalizing any agreement, as Trump continues to pressure Ukraine to negotiate an end to the war with Russia.
Originally scheduled for Sunday, Zelenskyy’s meeting with Starmer was expedited in response to the fallout from his visit to Washington. On Sunday, Zelenskyy is also set to meet King Charles III before attending the European summit at Lancaster House, a historic 200-year-old mansion near Buckingham Palace.
With PTI inputs