British Prime Minister Keir Starmer embraced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and told him he had the nation’s unwavering support a day after Zelenskyy’s public spat at the White House with US President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy arrived on Saturday to shouts of support from people who had gathered outside 10 Downing Street, where Starmer hugged him and ushered him inside.
“You’re very, very welcome here in Downing Street,” Starmer told Zelenskyy. “And as you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom.”
“We stand with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it may take.”
Zelenskyy responded that had seen the hundreds of supporters gathered outside Downing Street, and that “I want to thank you, the people of the United Kingdom, for such big support from the very beginning of this war”.
“I’m very happy that his majesty the king accepted my meeting tomorrow and we are very happy in Ukraine that we have such a strategic partner,” he added. “We count on your support.”
The UK and Ukraine signed a loan agreement worth £2.26 billion ($2.84bn) on Saturday to support Ukraine’s defence capabilities, which London called a sign of “our unwavering and ongoing support for the Ukrainian people”.
The two countries’ finance ministers, Rachel Reeves and Sergii Marchenko, signed the loan at a virtual ceremony as Starmer met Zelenskyy. It is to be to be paid back with the profits of immobilised sovereign Russian assets.
Starmer’s office said earlier that he would meet Zelenskyy in London on Saturday before a wider summit of European leaders on Sunday, which Downing Street said will focus on shoring up support for “securing a just and enduring peace” in Ukraine.
Sunday’s summit is also expected to address the need for Europe to increase defence cooperation amid fears about whether the US will continue to support Ukraine or NATO.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said he is ready to “open the discussion” on a possible future European nuclear deterrent after a request from Friedrich Merz, who is expected to be Germany’s next chancellor.
Merz has stressed the need for the continent to move quickly to “achieve independence” from the US on defence matters.
Al Jazeera’s Milena Veselinovic, reporting from London, said the summit will take on an even “more heightened importance” after Friday’s acrimonious meeting during which Trump accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful”.
“European leaders are now contending with a real prospect of the US no longer supporting Ukraine militarily or perhaps withdrawing some of that support,” she said.
“The European leaders really need to see if they can step up to the plate and if they can defend Ukraine on their own – something that many analysts believe would be a very tall order and a big challenge for Europe.”
Trump-Zelenskyy row
During the Oval Office dispute in front of US and international media, Trump and Vice President JD Vance angrily spoke over Zelenskyy, accusing him of not being “thankful” and refusing to accept their proposed peace terms.
“You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump said. “You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out, and if we’re out, you’ll fight it out, and I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.”
Most European leaders were stunned by Friday’s altercation and rushed to Zelenskyy’s defence.
European Union leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa assured Zelenskyy that he was “never alone”.
“Be strong, be brave, be fearless,” wrote the European Commission and European Council presidents in a joint statement, adding: “We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace.”
Macron said Russia is the “aggressor” in the Ukraine war and Ukrainians are the “aggressed people”.
“We were all right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago and to continue to do so,” he said.
Merz said, “We must never confuse the aggressor and the victim in this terrible war.”
While most European leaders seemed to side with Zelenskyy, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, backed Trump.
“Strong men make peace, weak men make war. Today President [Trump] stood bravely for peace,” he wrote on X.
Trump stunned many in Europe when he reached out to Putin last month to seek a deal on Ukraine, which Moscow invaded three years ago.
