The king has met Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Norfolk estate, Sandringham, shortly after Ukraine’s president attended the prime minister’s summit for European leaders.
Three days after Charles sent a personal invitation to Donald Trump for an unprecedented second state visit to the UK as part of a charm offensive, the king was again deployed by No 10 on the international diplomatic front.
Zelenskyy arrived at Sandringham House by helicopter from London shortly before 5.30pm and his meeting with Charles lasted just under an hour, including refreshments. Sources indicated the president was warmly received.
There were reports that the UK government agreed to the meeting after a request from the Ukrainian president.
A short statement from Buckingham Palace said: “This evening, His Majesty The King received the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the Saloon at Sandringham House.”
The two heads of state had first met in 2023 at Buckingham Palace. Last year, on the second anniversary of Russian’s invasion, the king issued a strongly worded message of support for Ukraine, speaking of the “indescribable aggression” faced by Ukrainians and hailing the “determination and strength of the Ukrainian people”.
Sunday’s audience took place amid calls from some quarters for the promised Trump state visit to be postponed, if not cancelled.
Scottish national party (SNP) leader and Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, said Zelenskyy was “the courageous leader of the courageous Ukrainian people” and a “completely unacceptable sequence of events” had taken place at the White House.
He said: “Until such time as we know the United States are going to be full scale partners with us and allied with us in protecting Ukrainian independence – which is fundamental to the protection of European liberal democracy – then I don’t think we should be talking about a second state visit for President Trump.”
His comments followed some reports suggesting Trump is considering halting US aid to Ukraine.
Keir Starmer would not be drawn into a debate over revoking a second state visit. The prime minister told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “I’m not going to be diverted by the SNP or others trying to ramp up the rhetoric without really appreciating what is the single most important thing at stake in Europe.”
Shadow home affairs minister Alicia Kearns told the Mail on Sunday: “No state visit should proceed until the steadfastness of the US’s commitment to her allies is assured. His Majesty should not have to carry the weight of Keir’s diplomatic failings.”
Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood said: “It would be inappropriate to place the king in the position of hosting the president if US foreign policy shifts away from its longstanding support for Ukraine towards alignment with Russia’s security objectives.” Ex-M16 head Richard Dearlove told the paper: “They have got to let the dust settle.”
It reported former Tory leader Michael Howard saying it would be “extraordinarily difficult” for the king given Trump and his deputy JD Vance’s “disgraceful” behaviour” during Friday’s Washington meeting with Zelenskyy.
But he added: “Sometimes we have to do things we don’t like to try to gain things for our country. We’ve got to see if we can moderate the behaviour of this dreadful administration. [The second state visit] may be one of the ways we can exert a smidgeon of influence.”
Meanwhile Labour peer George Foulkes advised that “the diplomatic thing would be for the king to find himself busy for the next few months”.
Article by:Source: Caroline Davies
