Zelenskiy to Meet Starmer in London Ahead of Trump–Putin Alaska Summit

 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will arrive in London on Thursday for talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as diplomatic efforts intensify ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Zelenskiy, who was in Germany on Wednesday, has been rallying European leaders to urge Trump not to allow any territorial concessions to Russia during the Alaska summit. His meeting with Starmer is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT) at 10 Downing Street.

On Wednesday, Trump joined a Germany-hosted virtual conference with European leaders, including Zelenskiy, aimed at defining “red lines” for ending the war in Ukraine. During the session, Zelenskiy cautioned Trump that Putin was “bluffing” about his willingness to end the conflict.

Following the meeting, Trump warned of “severe consequences” if Putin refuses to agree to peace, though he did not detail specific measures. He has previously threatened sweeping economic sanctions should the Alaska talks fail. The discussions, along with Wednesday’s joint statements, could bolster Kyiv’s position going into the summit.

Trump described his upcoming meeting with Putin as “setting the table” for a potential rapid follow-up session that would also 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 joint position on a pathway to a ceasefire in Ukraine in a statement issued after Wednesday’s virtual meeting.