Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Britain this weekend for talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other European leaders, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday, asking to be anonymous.
The UK leader is hosting talks with European leaders about defence and security on Sunday, among them French President Emmanuel Macron.
Zelensky told a press conference earlier Wednesday that after a proposed trip to Washington: “I plan to go to London: and immediately after this I and the Europeans will meet there with Keir Starmer”.
US President Donald Trump told his first cabinet meeting on Wednesday that Zelensky would be visiting Washington on Friday for talks.
Amid a diplomatic flurry, Starmer was flying to the US for talks with Trump on Thursday.
Starmer is seeking to convince the US administration to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any ceasefire deal with Russia.
He will have to perform a diplomatic high-wire act by sticking up for Kyiv without annoying Trump, who has stunned Europe by pursuing talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Macron, who met with Trump in Washington earlier this week, will be in London Sunday to take part in the meetings organised by Starmer, the French president’s office said.
AFP
