Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky had a heated exchange with Donald Trump at the White House and arriving in the UK he has suggested he is willing to compromise for a peace with Russia
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s convoy speeds along the North Circular
Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated he could be ready to make a major concession over NATO membership after arriving in the UK to meet Sir Keir Starmer.
The Prime Minister is meeting the Ukrainian president in Downing Street this afternoon before hosting a defence summit of European leaders on Sunday.
Zelensky has arrived in the UK after an unprecedented public clash with US President Donald Trump and his vice president JD Vance in the White House’s Oval Office on Friday.
The Ukrainian leader’s plane, emblazoned with the nation’s flag, touched at London’s Stansted Airport on Saturday morning and was met by a convoy of cars, following his spat with Trump. The US president claimed Mr Zelensky was “gambling with World War Three” in a series of heated exchanges on Friday which were broadcast around the world.
The Ukrainian leader was also accused of not being thankful enough for US military aid by both the US president and his deputy Mr Vance. The meeting ended with Mr Zelensky reportedly being kicked out of the White House, and plans to sign a deal exchanging Ukrainian mineral rights for American arms were put on ice.
But as his plane landed on British soil, the Ukrainian president struck a conciliatory tone as he hinted that Ukraine may be willing to agree a peace where they are not included into NATO. Zelensky said in a statement: “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.”
He also expressed his gratitude to Trump and the United States for their support in the war effort. He 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.”
But he once again pointed out that a ceasefire will only work if it is respected. “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,” he continued.
“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.”
Media reports from the US have suggested Trump is considering cutting off all aid to Ukraine following his heated exchange with Zelensky. The war of words in the White House was met with a volley of supportive messages from European leaders who are set to gather in London on Sunday.
Sir Keir Starmer’s response to the clash came somewhat later than that of allies including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Olaf Scholz, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Downing Street signalled that Sir Keir, who has tried to position the UK as a bridge between Europe and the US, had sought to smooth over relations between Ukraine and the US by calling both leaders.
A No 10 spokeswoman said the Prime Minister “retains unwavering support for Ukraine, and is doing all he can to find a path forward to a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine”. Sir Keir’s crunch talks at Downing Street on Sunday will see European leaders gear up efforts to police a future Ukraine peace deal.
The Prime Minister believes a deal will have to involve US military assets providing surveillance, intelligence and potentially warplanes giving air cover to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching another bid to conquer his neighbour.
