Ukraine’s presidential plane was seen arriving at Stansted Airport this morning, having flown overnight from the US – and Downing Street confirmed he’ll meet with the PM this afternoon
Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives at Stansted for UK visit
Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in London earlier than expected after Donald Trump’s Oval Office meltdown last night.
Ukraine’s presidential plane was seen arriving at Stansted Airport this morning, having flown overnight from the US.
And Downing Street confirmed he would meet with Keir Starmer today.
A No10 spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy will be meeting in Downing Street this afternoon.”
In a statement ahead of today’s meeting, Mr Zelensky said: “We are very grateful to the United States for all the support. I’m thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support, and American people. Ukrainians have always appreciated this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion.
“America’s help has been vital in helping us survive, and I want to acknowledge that. Despite the tough dialogue, we remain strategic partners. But we need to be honest and direct with each other to truly understand our shared goals. It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival. As President Reagan once said: ‘Peace is not just the absence of war’ We’re talking about just and lasting peace – freedom, justice, and human rights for everyone.
“A ceasefire won’t work with Putin. He has broken ceasefires 25 times over the last 10 years. A real peace is the only solution.
“We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that.
“A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We’ve been fighting for three years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side.
“I cannot change Ukraine’s position on Russia. The Russians are killing us. Russia is the enemy, and that’s the reality we face. Ukraine wants peace, but it must be a just and lasting peace. For that, we need to be strong at the negotiation table.
“Peace can only come when we know we have security guarantees, when our army is strong, and our partners are with us.
“We want peace. That’s why I came to the United States, and visited President Trump. The deal on minerals is just a first step toward security guarantees and getting closer to peace. Our situation is tough, but we can’t just stop fighting and not having guarantees that Putin will not return tomorrow.”
He went on: “It will be difficult without the US support. But we can’t lose our will, our freedom, or our people. We’ve seen how Russians came to our homes and killed many people.
“Nobody wants another wave of occupation. If we cannot be accepted to Nato, we need some clear structure of security guarantees from our allies in the US. Europe is ready for contingencies and to help fund our large army. We also need the US role in defining security guarantees – what kind, what volume, and when.
“Once these guarantees are in place, we can talk with Russia, Europe, and the US about diplomacy. War alone is too long, and we don’t have enough weapons to push them out entirely. When someone talks about losses, every single life matters. Russia invaded our homes, killed our people, and tried to erase us. This isn’t just about territories or numbers – it’s about real lives. That’s what we need everyone to understand.”
“I want the US to stand more firmly on our side. This is not just a war between our two countries; Russia brought this war on to our territory and into our homes. They are wrong because they disrespected our territorial integrity.
“All Ukrainians want to hear a strong US position on our side. It’s understandable the US might look for dialogue with Putin. But the US has always spoken about ‘peace through strength. And together we can take strong steps against Putin. Our relationship with the American president is more than just two leaders; it’s a historic and solid bond between our peoples.
“That’s why I always begin with words of gratitude from our nation to the American nation. American people helped save our people.
“Humans and human rights come first. We’re truly thankful. We want only strong relations with America, and I really hope we will have them.”
Mr Zelensky was expected to come to No10 tomorrow for a meeting ahead of a major summit of European leaders in London.
Leaders from France, Gemany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania and others are expected to attend.
Zelensky has said it is “very important” that Ukraine is “heard and not forgotten” after yesterday’s dramatic meeting with Donald Trump.
The Ukrainian president wrote on Telegram today: “People in Ukraine need to know that they are not alone, that their interests are represented in every country, in every corner of the world.” On Friday, Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky over the war in Ukraine, accusing him of not showing gratitude after he challenged Vance on the question of diplomacy with Russia ’s Vladimir Putin.
The argument in the Oval Office was broadcast to millions around the world, and led to the rest of Zelensky’s White House visit being cancelled just moments later. The fallout has also cast new doubts over how much the US will continue to support Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s invasion. Donald Trump has further criticised Zelensky in the hours since the meeting, mocking him as a “big shot” and claiming he did not “want peace”.
