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In the appearance of a strong solidarity, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in London on Thursday, only a few hours before the US-Russian Summit was very important from which Kyiv and his European allies had been excluded.
On the 10 Downing Street ladder, Starmer greeted Zelensky with a hug and warm handshake, closing one day in which the Ukraine leader also joined a virtual call with US President Donald Trump. The call came on the night of Trump’s famous meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, established on Friday at the Alaska Putin Putin’s first appearance in the western land since the February 2022 invasion to Ukraine, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
With Russia intensified its offensive and Ukraine left the guest list for anchorage talks, fears increased that Trump and Putin could reach an agreement that forced Kyiv to a painful concession.
Starmer, however, print a tone of optimism that is careful. He said Wednesday there was now a “decent” opportunity for a ceasefire after more than three years of war. “For three and many years this conflict has occurred, we have not been near … a worthy way to bring it to a ceasefire,” he told fellow European leaders. “Now we have the opportunity, because the work that has been included by the President (US).”
Also read: Putin, Trump to hold Alaska talks with a high bet about the Ukraine-Kremlin peace agreement
The war did not show signs of subside Thursday. Near the front lines, Ukraine launched dozens of drones to Russia last night, injured three people and light fire, including one in the oil refinery in Volgograd. Kyiv described the attack as a retaliation that was justified for Moscow’s daily missiles and drone attacks on Ukraine civilians.
Zelensky – who has repeatedly vowed not to surrender the area of Ukraine – joined the call on Wednesday with Trump from Berlin, along with European leaders who then expressed the belief that Washington was aimed at ceasefire rather than completion at the cost of Ukraine.
Trump’s attitude remains ambiguous. He has drifted up the possibility of a “three -way” meeting fast follow -up with Zelensky and Putin but has also warned that he might fully cancel it. “Maybe there is no second meeting because, if I feel it’s not right … then we will not hold the second meeting,” Trump said on Wednesday. “If the first is fine, we will have the second fast,” he added.
Zelensky, who experienced a tense exchange with Trump during the visit of the White House in February, voiced skepticism despite public support for US diplomacy. “I have told my colleagues – the US president and our European friends – that Putin certainly did not want peace,” he said.
> Secretary General Nato Mark Rutte is more blunt about the bet: “The ball is now in Putin Court.”
