After clash with Trump, Ukraine's Zelenskiy receives warm welcome in the UK ahead of European summit

Zelenskiy Receives Warm Welcome in UK After Tense Trump Meeting

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer embraced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday as he arrived in London for talks, following a tense encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.

During a dramatic Oval Office meeting on Friday, Trump threatened to withdraw support for Ukraine, three years after Russia launched its invasion.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with both Zelenskiy and Trump on Saturday, urging calm in an interview after the White House confrontation.

As Zelenskiy arrived for talks with Starmer at Downing Street, ahead of a European leaders' summit on Sunday to discuss Ukraine’s peace plan, a crowd cheered in support.

"I hope you heard some of that cheering in the street. That is the people of the United Kingdom demonstrating their strong support for you … and our absolute determination to stand with you," Starmer told Zelenskiy.

Starmer assured Zelenskiy of "full backing across the United Kingdom," stating, "We stand with you and Ukraine for as long as it takes."

Zelenskiy described the talks as "important and warm," emphasizing discussions on strengthening Ukraine’s position and securing reliable security guarantees.

"During our talks, we discussed the challenges facing Ukraine and Europe, coordination with partners, concrete steps to strengthen Ukraine’s position, and ensuring a just resolution to the war with strong security assurances," Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram.

Following Zelenskiy’s meeting with Trump, European leaders voiced their continued support for Ukraine, exposing differences between the United States and its traditional allies over the war. Meanwhile, Russian officials welcomed what they saw as Zelenskiy's humiliation at the White House, calling for a reduction in U.S. military aid to Kyiv.

Macron Calls for Calm Amid Rising Tensions

The French presidency confirmed that Macron also spoke with Starmer, European Council President António Costa, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte ahead of the London summit.

"I think beyond the frayed nerves, everyone needs to calm down, show respect and gratitude, and move forward pragmatically—because what’s at stake is too important," Macron said in an interview with several Sunday newspapers.

Macron also revealed that Zelenskiy had expressed willingness to restore dialogue with the U.S., including discussions on a deal granting U.S. access to revenues from Ukraine’s natural resources. However, he did not disclose Trump’s response.

The White House has yet to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that Zelenskiy should "apologize for turning this into the fiasco it became for him."

Zelenskiy, speaking to Fox News on Friday, appeared open to mending ties with Trump, expressing regret over the situation and saying, "I'm sorry for this."

The fallout between the two leaders meant Ukraine and the U.S. failed to finalize a highly anticipated minerals deal, which Kyiv had hoped would encourage Trump’s support and help rally Republican backing in Congress for additional aid.

A senior White House official told Reuters on Friday that Trump is currently not interested in revisiting the minerals deal.

Zelenskiy to Meet King Charles

During Starmer’s visit to the White House, he delivered a written invitation from King Charles, inviting Trump for a state visit—a rare honor that would make Trump the first elected political leader in modern history to receive two state visits from a British monarch.

Zelenskiy is also set to meet King Charles on Sunday, with Britain's Sun newspaper reporting that the meeting will take place at the monarch’s Sandringham estate in eastern England.

"I'm very happy that His Majesty the King accepted my meeting tomorrow," Zelenskiy told Starmer.

Britain has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, and King Charles has previously expressed admiration for Zelenskiy, praising the "determination and strength" of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia’s aggression.