World
India
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the UK’s King Charles III at Sandringham House on Sunday, after key talks with European leaders on military support and security in Ukraine.
The meeting at the King’s Norfolk retreat reinforced the continuing diplomatic drive to establish greater international support for Ukraine in its long-running conflict with Russia.
A Warm Reception at Sandringham
Zelensky, who had attended the top-level defence summit in London, took a helicopter from there to Sandringham once his meetings had finished. People from the area, some waving Ukrainian flags, had gathered at the estate to see him arrive.
Royal sources said that King Charles “warmly received” the Ukrainian president, and their private meeting took just under an hour.
Although the precise nature of their discussion is not revealed, the King has in the past shown firm backing for Ukraine, denouncing Russia’s “indescribable aggression” and hailing the “remarkable courage and resilience” of the Ukrainian people in the midst of war. Their most recent meeting is said to have been initiated by Zelensky, with the UK government’s sanction.
This is the second meeting of the two leaders, after Zelensky made a surprise trip to the UK in 2023. But unlike a full-blown state visit, Sunday’s meeting was an informal engagement with less ceremonial overtones, and more an exercise in solidarity.
Defence Summit and Tensions with Trump
Zelensky’s trip to the UK followed a heated confrontation with US President Donald Trump in Washington, when the Ukrainian president was criticized for “gambling with World War Three.” The heated confrontation has stoked speculation about the future of US support for Ukraine, particularly given that Trump has in the past questioned ongoing American military assistance.
During the defence summit in London, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer revealed a four-point plan to secure Ukraine’s long-term security. The measures include continuing the supply of military aid and creating a “coalition of the willing, an international collective effort to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Trump’s UK Visit Sparks Controversy
Sunday’s meeting between the King and Zelensky also occurred before Trump’s planned visit to the UK. The former president was offered a unique second state visit, a request made by Starmer during his recent Washington visit.
Historically, US presidents aren’t given a state visit for their second term but are rather invited for an informal engagement to Windsor Castle. Starmer has, however, referred to Trump’s forthcoming visit as “truly historic” and “unprecedented.” The action has not been well-received by politicians like Scotland First Minister John Swinney, who demanded that the invitation be withdrawn after Trump made controversial statements regarding Zelensky.
An online petition called “Stop Trump” has already collected almost 80,000 signatures, demonstrating increasing public opposition to his visit.
