Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to London on Thursday to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss key issues ahead of US President Donald Trump's key talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
Zelensky, who was in Germany on Wednesday, was engaging with European leaders to try to pressure Trump not to allow Putin to carve up Ukrainian territory at the Alaska summit.
He is due to meet Starmer at 9.30am at the prime minister's official residence, 10 Downing Street.
On Wednesday, Trump joined a virtual meeting with European leaders, including Zelensky, hosted in Germany to discuss red lines ahead of a summit to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Zelensky noted that he warned Trump that the Russian leader was “bluffing” about his intention to end the war.
Trump later warned of “serious consequences” if Putin did not agree to a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, and while he did not specify what exactly might happen, he hinted at economic sanctions if his meeting on Friday proved fruitless.
Comments and conclusions from Wednesday's virtual conference could give Kyiv hope ahead of the summit.
Trump described the purpose of his talks with Putin in Alaska as “setting the stage” for an early follow-up with Zelensky.
“If the first meeting is successful, we will quickly arrange a second one,” Trump said.
“I would like to do that as soon as possible, and we will have a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelensky, and also with me if they want me to be there.”
Britain, France and Germany, co-chairs of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing”, outlined their positions on the path to a ceasefire in Ukraine in a statement released after a virtual meeting on Wednesday.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
