“The war-torn country wants the United States to remain active in the peace efforts in the battle against Russia,” stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy made the comments following a meeting with Western allies in London, when US President Donald Trump was not present.
The Ukrainian leader decided not to openly advocate for the delivery of US Tomahawk cruise missiles at the meeting. Twenty leaders from the “coalition of the willing,” primarily from Europe, attended the meeting. Instead, Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity of Western cooperation.
At the conclusion of the hybrid conference, which was intended to discuss ways to increase pressure on the Russian leader before winter, Zelenskyy emphasized, “We are not finding and searching how to stop Putin and how to do this work without the US.” The Ukrainian leader added that “we need to have the United States” in order to provide his nation with post-war security guarantees.
He cautioned that “Putin wants to divide us,” pointing out that although Trump had refused to approve the Tomahawk supply, western countries had previously “developed together” by supplying US Atacms and Anglo-French Storm Shadow missiles.
Starmer presented Ukraine’s argument.
The United Kingdom wants Ukraine’s allies to provide long-range missiles and assist Kyiv in striking Russian targets far behind the frontline. This was reflected in UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s earlier statement to the meeting that he thought “there is further we can do on capability, particularly … long-range capability.”
Ukraine bombed a Russian explosives and rocket fuel factory in Bryansk just this week with a British Storm Shadow missile. Tomahawk cruise missiles are another suggestion that has raised concerns in Moscow, although the US has so far refused to provide them.
“We are thankful to you that we are not alone in this circumstance – from the very beginning of the war, but especially now, it is really crucial,” Zelenskyy said during the meeting, saying that Russia was attempting to make a “humanitarian crisis” this winter. Before going to Downing Street for a private meeting with Starmer, the Ukrainian leader had earlier paid a visit to Windsor, the home of King Charles of the United Kingdom.
Other leaders that attended the meeting included Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The others took part online.
It is important to remember that the meeting took place the day after EU leaders were unable to reach a definite consensus over the use of €140 billion (£120 billion) in frozen Russian central bank assets to finance Ukraine’s defense, and that Trump and Zelenskyy’s relationship is still fragile.
