Keir Starmer has spoken out after welcoming Volodymyr Zelensky to Downing Street just a day after the Ukrainian president had a fallout with Donald Trump at the White House.
The Prime Minister said he is "determined to find a path that ends Russia's illegal war" and will guarantee "a just and lasting peace" as well as Ukraine's sovereignty and security. The two leaders met just 24 hours after Zelensky and Trump had a heated exchange in front of TV cameras in the Oval Office at the White House.
After welcoming Zelensky to Downing Street, Mr Starmer spoke on the phone to Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. A Downing Street source said the calls were constructive and focused on finding a way forward.
Tomorrow, European leaders will join Mr Starmer and Zelensky in London on Sunday for a defence summit. The Ukrainian leader will also meet King Charles during his visit to Britain. In contrast with the terse exchange in the Oval Office, the meeting between Sir Keir and the Ukrainian president appeared warm.
The Prime Minister, who usually stands at the doorstep of No 10 to meet world leaders, walked towards Zelensky to meet him as he arrived. They then shared a hug before approaching the famous black door of No 10 together. A group of pro-Ukrainian demonstrators could be seen outside the gates of the street, and were heard to cheer as Mr Zelensky's convoy drove by.
At the top of their meeting, the PM said: "I hope you heard some of that cheering in the street. 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. So important for Ukraine, so important for Europe, and so important for the United Kingdom."
Zelensky responded that he saw "a lot of people" outside Downing Street and thanked the United Kingdom for its support. He added: "And I'm very happy that His Majesty the King accepted my meeting tomorrow, and I'm thankful that you organised such great summit for tomorrow."
The PM tweeted this evening: "It was an honour to welcome @ZelenskyyUa to Downing Street and reiterate my unwavering support for Ukraine. I am determined to find a path that ends Russia's illegal war and ensures a just and lasting peace that secures Ukraine's future sovereignty and security. Slava Ukraini."
A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister welcomed President Zelensky to Downing Street this afternoon. The Prime Minister reiterated his unwavering support for Ukraine, adding that the UK will always stand with them, for as long as it takes.
"The Prime Minister re-stated his determination to finding a path that ends Russia's illegal war and ensures a just and lasting peace that secures Ukraine's future sovereignty and security. The leaders looked forward to continuing these discussions at tomorrow's leaders' summit in London."
Zelensky also shared a statement on X, formerly called Twitter, including a video of large crowds outside Downing Street as he arrived to meet the PM. He wrote, "London. A meaningful and warm meeting with Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer. During our talks, we discussed the challenges facing Ukraine and all of Europe, coordination with partners, concrete steps to strengthen Ukraine's position, and ending the war with a just peace, along with robust security guarantees.
"A principled statement of support from the Prime Minister and an important decision: today, in our presence, Ukraine and the United Kingdom signed a Loan Agreement. This loan will enhance Ukraine's defense capabilities and will be repaid using revenues from frozen Russian assets. The funds will be directed toward weapons production in Ukraine."
He added: "This is true justice – the one who started the war must be the one to pay. I thank the people and government of the United Kingdom for their tremendous support from the very beginning of this war. We are happy to have such strategic partners and to share the same vision of what a secure future should look like for all."
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