Zelensky issued grim warning by NATO chief as he prepares for UK talks

Volodymyr Zelensky has been issued an "important" warning by the head of NATO ahead of a crucial summit in London.

The Ukrainian president will attend a meeting of European leaders hosted by Keir Starmer at Lancaster House on Sunday as efforts continue to find a way forward on peace in Ukraine - just 48 hours after Donald Trump's shocking outburst in the White House left many fearing the US had abandoned its allies. Mr Starmer, who gave Zelensky a warm welcome at Number 10 last night, is understood to have called Trump afterwards to try and rebuild the relationship between the two men ahead of a potential second White House meeting - though nothing so far has been agreed.

Now, Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte, who will also be at the meeting today, has warned it is vital for the future of European security that the US and Ukrainian presidents are back on speaking terms. He told the BBC: "It is important that President Zelensky finds a way to restore his relationship with the American President and with the senior American leadership team".

At Lancaster House, the Prime Minister is expected to urge the leaders of 18 European countries to follow the UK in answering the US's calls to boost defence spending. Keir Starmer said he is "working hard" to bring about a lasting peace in Ukraine, and said his "driving purpose" over the last few days has been reuniting Ukraine and the US following their spat in the Oval Office.

He told BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that he had watched Trump and Zelensky's meeting live in Number 10 and that it made him feel "uncomfortable", adding: "Nobody wants to see that." Detailing his efforts to repair relations, the Prime Minister went on to say: "The important thing is how to react to that. There are a number of different routes people could go down. One is to ramp up the rhetoric as to how outraged we all are or not. The other is to do what I did, which is roll up my sleeves, pick up the phone, talk to President Trump, talk to President Zelensky, then invite President Zelensky for an extensive meeting yesterday, a warm welcome, and then further pick up the phone to President Macron and President Trump afterwards. My driving purpose has been to bridge this, if you like, and get us back to the central focus."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meanwhile praised Donald Trump on Sunday in the wake of his attack on Zelensky - telling military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda that it was "interesting to work with him". He also warned that the Kremlin did not approve of plans to establish a cross-European peacekeeping force, claiming that this would "prop up" the Ukrainian president with "bayonets" and negatively impact Russian speakers in the country.