Volodymyr Zelensky will get heat reception from King Charles at Sandringham

Volodymyr Zelensky has met King Charles III at Sandringham, after attending a summit of European leaders on ending the battle in Ukraine.

Because the Ukrainian president arrived on the King’s Norfolk residence, native residents, some holding Ukraine flags, gathered outdoors the property to witness his entrance by helicopter.

Zelensky was in London over the weekend for the talks on European defence, after a fiery alternate with US President Donald Trump within the White Home on Friday.

Ukraine’s president was “warmly acquired”, and the assembly lasted slightly below an hour, royal sources mentioned. The pair have been served tea in Sandringham’s Saloon room.

Zelensky described it as “an excellent assembly”.

“I am very grateful for this assembly and for a way His Majesty helps Ukraine and helps us,” he informed reporters. “He is met our warriors right here, being educated within the UK, and we’re very grateful to the Royal Household for his or her help.”

The King has beforehand expressed help for Zelensky and Ukraine, saying the nation had skilled “indescribable aggression” following Russia’s “unprovoked assault on their land”.

The Ukrainian individuals have proven “really exceptional braveness and resilience within the face of such human tragedy”, the King mentioned final 12 months.

They first met at Buckingham Palace throughout Zelensky’s shock go to to the UK in 2023, and the identical day the King visited Ukrainian troops being educated in Wiltshire.

Right now’s assembly was requested by the Ukrainian president, with the settlement of the UK authorities.

After the summit had concluded, Sir Keir unveiled a four-step plan world leaders hope will assure peace in Ukraine.

These steps embody retaining navy assist flowing and the creation of a “coalition of the keen” to defend Ukraine as a part of a peace settlement.

Sunday’s assembly in Norfolk has allowed Zelensky to satisfy the King effectively earlier than Trump’s second state go to to the UK, which was supplied when Sir Keir introduced the US president with an invite letter from the monarch throughout a go to to Washington final week.

Whereas the Ukrainian chief’s go to is an official one, it’s much less formal than a state go to.

Historically, second-term US presidents will not be supplied a state go to and have as a substitute been invited for tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Citadel.

Sir Keir mentioned Trump’s final state go to in 2019 had been a “large success” and that the invite for a second go to was “really historic” and “unprecedented”.

Chatting with reporters within the Oval Workplace after studying the letter, Trump mentioned he accepted the invite and that it might be an “honour” to go to the “incredible” nation. When the journey will happen has but to be introduced.

Sir Keir dismissed calls by SNP first minister John Swinney to cancel the invite to Trump after his disastrous Oval Workplace assembly with Zelensky – during which he accused the Ukrainian chief of “playing with World Battle Three”.