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Zelenskiy meets UK's Starmer before Trump-Putin Alaska summit

14.08.2025 11:30
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday to coordinate strategy ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's scheduled talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pose for a photo at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 August 2025. Zelenskiy is in London to meet Starmer ahead of U.S. President Donald Trumps scheduled talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska the following day.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pose for a photo at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, 14 August 2025. Zelenskiy is in London to meet Starmer ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s scheduled talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska the following day. Photo: EPA/TOLGA AKMEN

The meeting followed Zelenskiy's diplomatic push across Europe to prevent Putin from securing territorial concessions at the Alaska summit.

Trump joined a Germany-hosted virtual meeting on Wednesday with European leaders, including Zelenskiy, who sought to establish parameters before the Ukraine war talks. Zelenskiy told Trump that Putin was "bluffing" about his desire to end the conflict.

Following the virtual conference, Trump warned of "severe consequences" if Putin rejects peace proposals, though he did not specify the measures. He has previously mentioned economic sanctions if Friday's meeting fails.

Trump described his Alaska talks with Putin as "setting the table" for subsequent negotiations that would include Zelenskiy.

"If the first one goes okay, we'll have a quick second one," Trump said. "I would like to do it almost immediately, and we'll have a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskiy and myself, if they'd like to have me there."

Britain, France and Germany, co-chairs of the "Coalition of the Willing," outlined their position on achieving a Ukraine ceasefire in a statement released after Wednesday's virtual meeting.

(jh)

Source: BBC, Reuters