King Charles throws protective arm around Volodymyr Zelensky

The King last night threw a protective arm around Volodymyr Zelensky as world leaders scrambled to help him rebuild his shattered relationship with Donald Trump.

In a pointed show of support, Charles invited the Ukrainian president to Sandringham for a private audience just 48 hours after President Trump’s meltdown in the Oval Office horrified Western allies and delighted Vladimir Putin.

The act of solidarity by the King, who Mr Trump described last week as a ‘beautiful man’, came as world leaders launched a frantic diplomatic push to patch up the cracks in Western unity over Ukraine.

The meeting in Norfolk, which came at Mr Zelensky’s request, was long planned but came just two days after his showdown with Mr Trump, putting a very different spin on events.

Leaders from France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Nato and the EU were among those who gathered with Mr Zelensky in London yesterday for an emergency summit on Ukraine’s future.

Sir Keir Starmer revealed that he and French president Emmanuel Macron were working with Mr Zelensky on a new plan to ‘stop the fighting’ which they hope to present to Mr Trump within days. He said Britain and France were also trying to assemble a ‘coalition of the willing’ to provide a peacekeeping force if a deal is done.

‘Not every nation will feel able to contribute but that can’t mean that we sit back,’ Sir Keir said. ‘Instead, those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency. The UK is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others. Europe must do the heavy lifting.’

But he said an American security backstop – which Mr Trump has refused to guarantee – was ‘vital’, adding: ‘It must have the strength of US backing.’ 

It came as:

- Sir Keir announced plans to send 5,000 British-made air defence missiles to Ukraine at a cost of £1.6 billion

- France and Britain are proposing a one-month truce in Ukraine ‘in the air, at sea’, Mr Macron said, adding that he was willing to share France’s nuclear deterrent with European allies who ‘can no longer depend on the American nuclear deterrent’

Should Donald Trump's next UK state visit be cancelled?

Thousands of Mail readers have had their say on the divisive debate – should Donald Trump’s state visit be cancelled? 

And a large majority want the invitation rescinded after the extraordinary Oval Office row on Friday.

Some 66 per cent of respondents (19,338 votes) said the state visit should be called off, compared to 9,929 votes (34 per cent) saying it should go ahead. 

Last Thursday, Keir Starmer said the second state visit invitation was ‘unprecedented’.

- Lord Mandelson urged Mr Zelensky to return to the White House and sign a deal that would hand a share of Ukraine’s rare minerals reserves to the US

- The PM signalled he will not withdraw the offer to host Mr Trump for a second state visit, despite pressure from MPs

- Kemi Badenoch wants defence spending to be raised to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030

- The Kremlin welcomed Mr Trump’s ‘common-sense’ approach to Mr Zelensky and accused European leaders of trying to prolong the war

- Rachel Reeves relaxed the rules to allow Britain’s £28billion sovereign wealth fund to invest in defence

- US Vice-President J D Vance was jeered by protesters on a skiing break in Vermont, with demonstrators holding placards saying: ‘Go ski in Russia’

- Thousands attended pro-Ukraine rallies outside Downing Street and the summit venue at Lancaster House

Opening yesterday’s summit, Sir Keir told fellow leaders they faced a ‘once-in-a-generation moment’ for security in Europe and needed to ‘step up’. Addressing the Ukrainian president who was sitting alongside him, the PM added: ‘I hope you know that we are all with you and the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.’

Later, the PM told reporters: ‘We are at a crossroads in history today. This is not a moment for more talk. It is time to act, time to step up and lead and to unite around a new plan.’

Read More

BREAKING NEWS
Europe must do the 'heavy lifting' on Ukraine, says Starmer as he gathers 'coalition of the willing' European leaders and vows to give Trump a peace plan - amid fears US will abandon the continent

Asked about the risk of triggering a war with Russia, Sir Keir said it was in the national interest to act now to deter further Russian aggression.

Ministers hope to persuade Mr Zelensky to return to the White House within days to sign the rare minerals deal, which Mr Trump has indicated is critical to any hope of continuing American support.

Mr Trump’s explosive Oval Office row with Mr Zelensky on Friday night left ministers fearing he could pull the plug on American support for Ukraine altogether.

But Sir Keir, who spoke to President Trump twice over the weekend, said he still trusted him and insisted that a peace deal was not dead. 

The PM is expected to attend a summit of European leaders in Brussels on Thursday to seek more support for the peace plan. He could then return to the White House with Mr Zelensky and Mr Macron to try to sell it to Mr Trump.