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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Josh Salisbury

Volodymyr Zelensky meets King Charles as European leaders back Ukraine defence

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and King Charles held a meeting at Sandringham after European leaders gave the country its backing at a summit in London on Sunday.

Mr Zelensky and the King were pictured smiling as they shook hands outside the royal estate after Keir Starmer pledged a ‘Coalition of the Willing’ to back Kyiv if a peace deal is reached with Russia.

A military helicopter carrying could be seen flying low and descending over the estate at around 5.25pm.

Some residents near to Sandringham turned out to witness his arrival while carrying Ukrainian flags in a show of support.

The Palace said in a statement: “The president was warmly received, and the meeting lasted just under an hour.”

The helicopter could be seen leaving the estate at around 6.35pm.

Mr Zelensky first met Charles on his first visit to the UK in 2023 after Russia’s invasion, calling it a “truly special moment for me, for our country”.

It came after Sir Keir said European powers must realise it is "not a moment for more talk, it is time to act", following a defence summit on Ukraine.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, center, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and France's President Emmanuel Macron (AP)

The Prime Minister unveiled a four-step plan discussed by leaders at Sunday's Lancaster House meeting, including a pledge to "develop a coalition of the willing" to defend a deal in Ukraine and guarantee a peace settlement.

Addressing journalists after the summit, the Prime Minister warned that the West stands at a "crossroads in history" and announced a £1.6 billion finance deal which will allow Ukraine to buy more than 5,000 missiles, following the gathering at Lancaster House.

Sir Keir told the press conference that "every nation must contribute" in the best way it can and a number of "important steps" were agreed.

He added that leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had agreed to meet in future to discuss next steps.

The summit came after leaders had rallied round Mr Zelensky following his confrontation with Mr Trump in the Oval Office on Friday.

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