After Trump clash, Ukraine’s Zelensky gets warm UK welcome before European summit
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (left) welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to London, on March 1.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer greeted President Volodymyr Zelensky with a warm embrace on March 1 after the Ukrainian leader flew to London for talks following his clash at the White House
In an extraordinary Oval Office meeting on Feb 28, Mr Trump threatened to withdraw support for Ukraine, three years after Russia invaded its smaller neighbour.
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump on March 1 and called for calm in an interview
In London, a crowd cheered as Mr Zelensky arrived for talks with Mr Starmer at his Downing Street office before a summit of European leaders that the Ukrainian president will attend on March 2 to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine.
“I hope you heard some of that cheering in the street. That is the people of the United Kingdom coming out to demonstrate how much they support you... and our absolute determination to stand with you,” Mr Starmer told him.
Mr Starmer told Mr Zelensky he had “full backing across the United Kingdom”.
“We stand with you and Ukraine for as long as it may take,” Mr Starmer said.
The two countries unveiled a £2.26 billion (S$3.84 billion) loan agreement to support Ukraine’s defence capabilities, to be paid back with the profits of immobilised sovereign Russian assets.
Mr Zelensky said on March 1 he had “important and warm” talks with Mr Starmer, with a discussion on strengthening Ukraine’s position and obtaining reliable security guarantees.
“During our talks we discussed the challenges standing before Ukraine and all of Europe, coordination with our partners, concrete steps to strengthen Ukraine’s position and ending the war in a just fashion, with reliable security guarantees,” Mr Zelensky wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
Other European leaders also issued messages of support
Senior Russian politicians have reacted with glee to what they see as Mr Zelensky’s White House humiliation, saying the Ukrainian leader got what he deserved and that US military aid to Kyiv must now be cut.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had talks at Mr Starmer’s Downing Street office.
PHOTO: AFP
Macron: ‘Everybody needs to calm down’
The French presidency said Mr Macron had also spoken to Mr Starmer, European Council President Antonio Costa and Nato chief Mark Rutte, on the eve of the London summit.
“I think that beyond the frayed nerves, everybody needs to calm down, show respect and gratitude, so we can move forward concretely, because what’s at stake is too important,” Mr Macron said in an interview with several Sunday newspapers.
Mr Macron said Mr Zelensky had told him he was willing to “restore dialogue” with the United States, including on a deal giving US access to revenues from Ukraine’s natural resources, but did not say what Mr Trump told him in the call.
The White House had no immediate comment.
In an interview with CNN on Feb 28, Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Mr Zelensky to “apologise
In an interview with Fox News on Feb 28, Mr Zelensky said he believed his relationship with Mr Trump could be salvaged and appeared to express some regret, saying: “I’m sorry for this.”
The falling-out meant that Ukraine and the United States failed to sign a much-vaunted minerals deal Kyiv hoped would spur Mr Trump to back Ukraine’s war effort and potentially win support from Republicans in Congress for a new round of aid.
Mr Trump is not interested in revisiting the minerals deal at the moment, a senior White House official told Reuters on Feb 28 evening.
Mr Starmer spoke to both Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky on Feb 28, and French President Emmanuel Macron also visited Mr Trump in Washington this week.
Mr Zelensky is also due to meet King Charles on March 2.
Britain’s Sun newspaper said the meeting would take place at the monarch’s Sandringham estate in eastern England.
“I’m very happy that His Majesty the King accepted my meeting tomorrow,” Mr Zelensky told Mr Starmer at the start of their meeting.
Britain has been a vocal backer of Ukraine and King Charles has previously expressed his support for Mr Zelensky, speaking of the “determination and strength” of the Ukrainian people in the face of an unprovoked attack from Russia.
During Mr Starmer’s visit to the White House, he presented Mr 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
