London, Aug 15: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to London on Thursday, a day before a critical US-Russia summit in Alaska.The two embraced warmly outside Starmer’s offices at 10 Downing Street, without making any comments. Zelenskyy’s trip to the British capital comes a day after he took part in virtual meetings from Berlin with US President Donald Trump and the leaders of several European countries.
Those leaders said Trump had assured them he would make a priority of trying to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Anchorage.
Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, Starmer said further sanctions could be imposed on Russia should Putin fail to engage.
āIt is important to remind colleagues that we do stand ready also to increase pressure on Russia, particularly the economy, with sanctions and wider measures as may be necessary,ā Starmer said.
Both Zelenskyy and the Europeans have worried the bilateral US-Russia summit would leave them and their interests sidelined, and that any conclusions reached could favour Moscow and leave Ukraine and Europe’s future security in jeopardy with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine now in its fourth year.
Yet some of those leaders, like German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, praised Wednesday’s video conference with Trump as constructive.
Speaking after the meetings to reporters, Trump warned of āvery severe consequencesā for Russia if Putin does not agree to stop the war against Ukraine after Friday’s meeting.