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LAST UPDATE | 2 Mar 2025
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR Zelenskyy has met King Charles at the latter’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk, directly after a defence summit on Ukraine in London.
Zelenskyy arrived at the estate via military helicopter and stayed for just under an hour.
Yesterday, the king issued an invitation to President of the United States, Donald Trump. Earlier this week, Zelenskyy was involved in a row with Trump in the Oval Office that shocked the world.
Earlier today, Keir Starmer has urged leaders to step up at a “once in a generation moment” for security in Europe at the start of the defence summit on Ukraine.
Leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte are gathered at Lancaster House in London to forge a common position on ending the war.
The Prime Minister told those present that “this is a once in a generation moment for the security of Europe and we all need to step up.”
He said that getting a good outcome for Ukraine is “vital to the security of every nation here and many others too”.
The UK has signed a £1.6 billion deal to supply more than 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine using export finance.
Starmer said today that the lightweight-multirole missiles (LMM) will be made in Northern Ireland, creating 200 jobs.
He added: “This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now and strengthen Ukraine in securing the peace when it comes because we have to learn from the mistakes of the past.”
The missiles, which are capable of flying at 1.5 times the speed of sound and striking targets over 6km away, can be used to attack enemy vehicles, boats and drones.
They will be manufactured at the Thales weapons plant in Belfast.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “This new support will help protect Ukraine against drone and missile attacks but it will also help deter further Russian aggression following any end to the fighting.
“This new deal delivers on the UK’s ironclad commitment to step up military support for Ukraine whilst boosting jobs and growth at home.”
The contract will be funded by a loan underwritten by United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF).
In September, the government announced a £162 million deal to send 650 LMMs to Ukraine.
The summit comes after leaders rallied round Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his confrontation with Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, which has created a divide between the US and its European partners.
Starmer said that it has been agreed that “a group” will work “with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting and then discuss that with the US and take it forward together”.
Ukraine’s allies need to also continue their support in the moment, Starmer said, adding: “Even while Russia talks about peace, they are continuing their relentless aggression.”
He concluded: “That is the agenda and we need to agree what steps come out of this meeting to deliver peace through strength for the benefit of all.”
He had earlier told the BBC that “we’ve now agreed that the United Kingdom, along with France and possibly one or two others, will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, and then we’ll discuss that plan with the United States”.
Among those in attendance at the meeting at Lancaster House are Zelenskyy and Macron as well as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau is also at the meeting, alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission.
Starmer told the gathered leaders that a crowd who welcomed Zelenskyy with applause ahead of his visit to Downing Street over the weekend was “totally spontaneous”.
Addressing the Ukrainian president who was sat alongside him, the Prime Minister added: “I hope you know that we are all with you and the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. Everyone around this table.”
Starmer was flanked by Zelenskyy and Macron as he delivered his remarks at the top of the meeting.
Leaders had earlier posed for a family photo in front of their national flags before the discussions got under way.
European leaders rallied round to support the Ukrainian president after the scenes in the Oval Office on Friday evening, which saw Trump publicly berating Zelenskyy.
Starmer had earlier told the BBC that the encounter made him feel “uncomfortable”, adding that “nobody wants to see that”.
“The important thing is how to react to that,” Starmer told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.
“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 Zelenskyy, then invite President Zelenskyy for an extensive meeting yesterday, a warm welcome, and then further pick up the phone to President Macron and President Trump afterwards.”
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