Prime Minister Keir Starmer had described the UK as Ukraine’s “closest supporter and ally,” saying that “huge steps forward” had been taken this week to support Ukraine but there was more to be done on long-range capability.
This came as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the British Prime Minister at Downing Street, before joining other European leaders on a so-called “coalition of the willing” call to discuss boosting Ukraine’s defences.
At the start of the bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy, Starmer said, “Volodymyr, it’s really good to be able to welcome you here in Downing Street again for a really important meeting between the two of us, bilaterally, but also for the coalition of the willing.”
King Charles III hosted Zelenskyy in Windsor, ahead of the Ukrainian leader’s meeting with Starmer as well as latest talks with European leaders on how to increase pressure on Russia.
It was the third time this year the 76-year-old Monarch has hosted Zelenskyy, with the Ukrainian leader given a royal salute and his country’s national anthem played as he arrived at Windsor Castle, west of London.
The British Monarch has frequently expressed his support for Ukraine, which he said had withstood “indescribable aggression” from Russia.
The Prime Ministers of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, and Dick Schoof of the Netherlands, as well as NATO Chief Mark Rutte, are attending the “Coalition of the willing” talks in person.
Downing Street disclosed that more than 20 other leaders are set to take part in the talks remotely.
Starmer asserted that through Zelenskyy’s meeting with the Monarch, through the meeting and through the coalition of the willing, “we reaffirm again our support for you and Ukraine and our absolute commitment to meeting the challenge of Russian aggression.”
He emphasized that while Zelenskyy has signalled the path for a way forward and shown that willingness of courage and determination, what is seen from President Vladimir Putin is an “absolute unwillingness to engage, in fact, the opposite, which is the continued attacks increasingly on civilians and on children.” He added, “Sadly I have to offer you my condolences again, as I did the last time we met and the time before, for those terrible losses.”
“I do think that this week we can really bear down on Russian oil and gas. Huge steps forward this week already. I think there’s further we can do on capability, particularly… long-range capability, and of course, the vital work for coalition of the willing when it comes to the security guarantees that are necessary.
“So we’ve got really important business to go through with the coalition of the willing today, but it’s very good to be able to welcome you back.”
Keir Starmer
Russia has intensified its bombing of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Power and water were out in Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv this week, after targeted attacks aimed at breaking public resistance inside Ukraine.
Zelenskyy Thanks UK For Supporting Ukraine
On his part, Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the UK for its support.
At the top of a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Ukrainian President said, “Yes, I agree with you and know that Putin doesn’t show that he wants to stop the war.”
He stated that Russian aggression was “pushing us with such humanitarian disaster” with attacks targeting infrastructure including Ukraine’s energy sector. “We’re thankful to you that we are not alone in this situation – from the very beginning of war but especially now, it’s very important,” Zelenskyy said.
