Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in London on Saturday, continuing a diplomatic damage-control effort after his tense exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday.
Zelenskyy landed in the U.K. ahead of an emergency summit with European leaders on Sunday, hoping to further shore up support on the continent after Trump and Vice President JD Vance humiliated him in the Oval Office in Friday’s meeting, accusing him of ingratitude and scrapping a planned press conference as well as the signing of a critical minerals deal.
In a lengthy social media thread on Saturday following the dismaying Washington meeting, Zelenskyy struck a conciliatory tone, expressing gratitude for American aid while emphasizing that Ukraine still needs “security guarantees” in order to achieve a “just and lasting peace.”
He stressed that a cease-fire alone would be insufficient, warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin has violated truce agreements “25 times” in the past decade.
“It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support,” the Ukrainian leader said. “He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do,” he said.
“We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees,” Zelenskyy wrote. “But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that,” he said.
“A cease-fire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “We’ve been fighting for three years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side.”
Zelenskyy will meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Downing Street on Saturday afternoon, British media reported. Starmer is hosting the Sunday summit with European leaders to discuss security assurances for Ukraine.
European leaders have already closed ranks behind Zelenskyy following the stormy Oval Office meeting. French President Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s almost-certain next chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed their backing for Kyiv in defiant statements following the Washington encounter.
The post Zelenskyy says Trump support ‘crucial’ after bruising Oval Office clash appeared first on Politico.
