Starmer insists Ukraine has ‘full backing of UK’ as he meets Zelensky at No 10
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer ‘we count on your support’ during the meeting.
Sir Keir Starmer has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky he has “full backing across the United Kingdom” and that Britain stands with Ukraine “for as long as it may take”.
As the men met at Downing Street, Mr Zelensky told the Prime Minister “we count on your support”.
Their meeting comes a day after the Ukrainian leader’s heated exchange with US President Donald Trump in the White House’s Oval Office, which appeared to rock the foundations of the Nato alliance’s support for the war-torn country.
European leaders will join Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky in London on Sunday for a defence summit.
The King will also meet with the Ukrainian leader the same day as part of his visit to Britain.
In contrast with the terse exchange in the Oval Office, the meeting between Sir Keir and the Ukrainian president appeared warm.
The Prime Minister, who usually stands at the doorstep of No 10 to meet world leaders, walked towards Mr Zelensky to meet him as he arrived.
They then shared a hug before approaching the famous black door of No 10 together.
A group of pro-Ukrainian demonstrators could be seen outside the gates of the street, and were heard to cheer as Mr Zelensky’s convoy drove by.
At the top of their meeting, Sir Keir said: “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 how much they support Ukraine, and our absolute determination to stand with you, unwavering determination, to achieve what we both want to achieve, which is a lasting peace, a lasting peace for Ukraine, based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine.
“So important for Ukraine, so important for Europe, and so important for the United Kingdom.”
Mr Zelensky responded that he saw “a lot of people” outside Downing Street and thanked the United Kingdom for its support.
He added: “And I’m very happy that His Majesty the King accepted my meeting tomorrow, and I’m thankful that you organised such great summit for tomorrow.”
Mr Zelensky said he was “very happy in Ukraine that we have such strategic partners”, pointing to the 100-year partnership signed between his nation and the UK.
While at Downing Street, Mr Zelensky and Sir Keir were present as Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her Ukrainian counterpart Sergii Marchenko signed a £2.26 billion loan agreement to support Kyiv’s military and the costs of rebuilding after the war.
Ministers expect the loan will be repaid with the profits from frozen Russian assets.
The men’s face-to-face meeting lasted nearly an hour and a half, and Sir Keir embraced Mr Zelensky once again as he left Downing Street.
The Ukrainian leader arrived by plane in Britain on Saturday morning after a series of highly charged exchanges with President Trump and his vice president JD Vance on Friday.
Mr Trump claimed his Ukrainian counterpart was “gambling with World War Three” in a diplomatic blowout broadcast around the world.
The Ukrainian leader was also accused of not being thankful enough for US military aid by both the US president and Mr Vance, after he attempted to question some of their claims.
The meeting ended with Mr Zelensky reportedly being kicked out of the White House, and plans to sign a deal exchanging Ukrainian mineral rights for American arms were put on ice.
European leaders rallied around Mr Zelensky following the clash, while Mr Trump’s allies insisted the president stood up for US’s interests.
Mr Trump said the Ukrainian president was not “ready for peace” following their public spat, and told reporters Mr Zelensky wanted to “fight, fight, fight” while the US was “looking to end this death”.
Mark Rutte, Nato secretary general, told the BBC he urged Mr Zelensky to repair his relationship with the US president in a Friday night phone call, as the alliance’s members “need to stick together” against Russia.
“What I told to President Zelensky is that I said, ‘I think you have to find a way, dear Volodymyr, to restore your relationship with Donald Trump and the American administration’,” he said.
While Mr Zelensky suggested there was no need for him to apologise to the US president when he spoke to Fox News on Friday, a statement he released as his plane landed in London suggested he was trying to reconcile with the Americans.
Mr Trump’s support for Ukraine is “crucial”, he wrote, adding that he was “very grateful to the United States for all the support”.
Media reports from the US have suggested Mr Trump is considering cutting off all aid to Ukraine following their clash.
Sir Keir’s crunch talks on Sunday will see European leaders gear up efforts to police a future Ukraine peace deal.
The Prime Minister believes a deal will have to involve US military assets providing surveillance, intelligence and potentially warplanes giving air cover to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching another bid to conquer his neighbour.
