On 1 March, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the day after a tense conversation with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has reported.
On 28 February, during his visit to the US, Zelenskyy had an emotional discussion with Trump and Vance regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine. Despite Zelenskyy’s repeated statements that Kyiv wants peace and the absence of such statements from Russia, Trump accused the Ukrainian president of lacking desire for peace and ordered the Ukrainian delegation to leave the White House after the discussion turned to security guarantees, which the US has not specified since negotiations between Washington and Moscow began. Currently, all that the US and Russia have agreed upon is the restoration of diplomatic relations, which, according to American intelligence reports, Russia likely plans to use to return its spies to the US.
After arriving in London in the morning, Zelenskyy went to Starmer’s residence at 10 Downing Street, where he was greeted by the British Prime Minister. The leaders embraced and smiled for the cameras before entering the residence for talks.
The Ukrainian president told the prime minister he was happy his country had “such friends,” while Starmer said that the British people stand with Ukraine “for as long as it may take,” according to Politico.
When Zelenskyy arrived in Downing Street, a group of Ukrainian supporters gathered outside the gates of the famous political street, cheering the Ukrainian president’s convoy as he arrived.
“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,” Starmer said.
Five days ago, demonstrators took to London streets to call for just peace in Ukraine and demanded the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from all Ukrainian territory, marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Rubryka reported.
This is a stark contrast to the meeting at the White House, which began with questions about Zelenskyy’s lack of a suit, which he stopped wearing since the beginning of Russian aggression, preferring instead clothing that resembles the military uniform of the Ukrainian army.
Zelenskyy is also reportedly scheduled to meet with King Charles III on 2 March – the same day the UK will host a key summit on Ukraine. More than a dozen European leaders, as well as representatives from NATO and the EU, are expected to discuss support for Ukraine and increasing economic pressure on Russia at this meeting.
The Ministry of Finance reported that Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko and UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves signed an agreement to provide Ukraine with a loan of 2.26 billion pounds (about three billion dollars) during the meeting.
These funds are part of the G7 countries’ Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration for Ukraine (ERA) mechanism, which totals 50 billion dollars.
“The loan will be serviced and repaid from future revenues obtained from immobilized Russian sovereign assets. The financing is provided for 30 years. The raised funds will be directed to finance the procurement of defense materials, according to the needs of the Ukrainian side,” the statement said.
The government noted that within the framework of the G7 countries’ Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration for Ukraine (ERA) mechanism, Ukraine has already received $1 billion dollars from the US and €3 billion from the EU.
Related:
- US officials warn Trump-Putin talks could return Russian spies to American soil
- ISW: Kremlin dismisses US terms, demands Ukraine cede non-occupied territories
- Trump rules out Ukraine’s NATO membership, pledges to get “some land” back
- I can’t believe I said that: Trump doesn’t remember calling Zelenskyy “dictator”
- Biden, Obama, Trump: Different presidents, same Russian reset trap
- Rubio sets goal for “next” talks: defining war exit conditions for Russia, Ukraine
- Trump says he may visit Moscow, not on 9 May but “within weeks”
