Ukraine war latest: Zelenskyy reiterates 'gratitude' for US support after disastrous Trump meeting and UK summit

'Nothing works unless Trump says yes'

Despite a busy weekend of diplomacy between Ukraine and its European allies, not much has really changed for Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

That's according to security and defence editor Deborah Haynes, who says Sir Keir Starmer and Europe's leaders "need to prove they're serious" with actions and not just words.

"Nothing's really changed, let's face it," says Haynes.

"We haven't heard from Donald Trump specifically about all of this European fanfare. Nothing really works unless Trump says yes.

"If Trump doesn't back what Starmer and Macron are proposing, then the European peace plan looks pretty feeble given the European military relies so heavily on America's far more powerful armed forces."

"With all this language, and given the severity of the situation and the Prime Minister and other leaders across Europe say they're going to get serious - they now need to show that they are with some action."

Trump-Zelenskyy clash shows challenges in Ukraine peace process, Kremlin says

We've been getting some lines from the Kremlin, where reaction to the past few days of diplomacy is on the agenda.

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the public White House clash between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed how difficult it will be to reach a settlement to the war.

He said European leaders would need to "make a lot of effort" with Washington to wash away the "unpleasant residue" of Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump. 

Analysts say the public spat has played perfectly into the hands of Moscow, which is working to discredit Zelenskyy and undermine his legitimacy.

The reaction to the Oval Office shouting match in Russia supports this.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said Zelenskyy had received a "solid slap" in Washington, while foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it was a miracle Trump and JD Vance had restrained themselves from hitting the Ukrainian. 

London summit 'helping war to continue'

Peskov also said pledges made by European leaders at yesterday's London summit to increase funding to Kyiv will not bring about a peaceful end to the conflict.

He said the results of the summit - including a £1.6bn air-defence missiles deal from Britain - will allow hostilities to continue, adding it was critical that Zelenskyy be forced to change his position and seek peace. 

"This clearly does not relate to a peace plan", but will allow for "the continuation of hostilities", he said.

"Any constructive initiatives (for peace) will be in demand now. It's very important that someone forces Zelenskyy himself to change his position. He doesn't want peace. Someone must make Zelenskyy want peace."

'That's not government policy': UK minister slaps down Mandelson comments

The new UK ambassador to the US caused a bit of a stir last night when he appeared to contradict government policy by saying Ukraine "should be the first to commit to a ceasefire and defy the Russians to follow".

Lord Mandelson also called on Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sign the minerals deal with the US, which was not signed after the extraordinary row in the Oval Office ahead of the ceremony.

Speaking to Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast this morning, Luke Pollard reacted to Mandelson's comments, saying: "That's not government policy."

He also said the Ukrainians want peace "the most", but there are still ongoing discussions about the "shape" of what a potential peace deal could look like.

"But it's certainly right that the war could stop tomorrow if President Putin stopped his illegal and unprovoked aggression," Pollard added.

"So what we need to find is a formula that allows a peace that is lasting and durable to be created and then to be defended because we need to defend his peace."

Analysis: Is 'coalition of the willing' an attempt by Starmer to appeal to US audience?

The use of the term "coalition of the willing" to describe the nations that agree to support an international force to help protect any ceasefire deal in Ukraine is interesting and notable.

It could perhaps be an attempt by Sir Keir Starmer to appeal to an American audience, as this was the phrase the United States used for its "coalition of the willing" to invade Iraq more than two decades ago.

That intervention ended in disaster, triggering a bloody insurgency and locking the US and its allies into a costly war, despite the successful toppling of Saddam Hussein.

But reviving the words "coalition of the willing" will - if nothing else - remind Washington that London was its biggest and strongest backer when it turned to allies to back its 2003 invasion.

Starmer's four-point plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine

Sir Keir Starmer has announced a four-point plan to work with Ukraine to end the war with Russia.

Announced during a summit of world leaders in London yesterday, Starmer said the UK, France and other countries will step up their efforts in a "coalition of the willing".

Speaking at a news conference after the meeting of leaders, Starmer said four points had been agreed:

• to keep military aid flowing and keep increasing economic pressure on Russia
• any lasting pace must ensure Ukraine's sovereignty and security, and Ukraine must be at the table for peace talks
• in the event of a peace deal, to boost Ukraine's defensive capabilities to deter any future invasion
• to go further to develop a "coalition of the willing" to defend a deal in Ukraine and to guarantee the peace

Starmer did not state which countries had agreed to join the coalition, but said those who had committed would intensify planning with real urgency.

He said the UK would back its commitment with "boots on the ground, and planes in the air".

Extra £1.6bn for Ukraine

Elsewhere in the news conference, Sir Keir announced a new deal which will allow Ukraine to use £1.6bn of UK export finance to buy 5,000 more air defence missiles.

The prime minister said the move will create jobs in the UK's defence sector and would also be "vital for protecting critical infrastructure and strengthen Ukraine".

It comes on top of the UK announcing that it would increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, from the current 2.3%.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves also announced that the UK would give Ukraine an extra £2.26bn for its war effort, funded by the profits made from hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of Russian sovereign assets.

France: Month-long truce in Ukraine would test if Putin was acting in good faith

The French foreign minister has suggested a one-month truce in Ukraine would show if Vladimir Putin was acting in good faith.

Emmanuel Macron said yesterday that France and Britain are proposing a partial one-month truce between Russia and Ukraine that would cover air, sea and energy infrastructure attacks but not ground fighting.

Speaking on RTL Radio, Jean-Noel Barrot said a pause would show if Putin was acting in good faith and if he would be willing to start negotiations in earnest on a longer-term peace deal.

Zelenskyy didn't offer any suggestion if he would accept the proposal, but said he was "aware of everything" when asked about it.

Under the Franco-British idea, European ground troops would only be deployed to Ukraine in a second phase, Macron said.

"There will be no European troops on Ukrainian soil in the coming weeks," Le Figaro quoted Macron as saying.

"The question is how we use this time to try to obtain a truce, with negotiations that will take several weeks and then, once peace is signed, a [troop] deployment."

Russian drone attack injures eight people in Kharkiv, mayor says

As much of the international attention on Ukraine is centred around Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his diplomacy with world leaders, let's bring you some news from the war itself.

The mayor of Kharkiv says a Russian drone attack has injured eight people, including a seven-year-old child.

Posting on Telegram, Ihor Terekhov says drones hit a multi-storey building late last night, leaving three homes damaged.

Among those injured were a seven-year-old boy and an 80-year-old man, Terekhov added.

Analysis: Asking Zelenskyy questions, I found him defiant after disastrous confrontation with Trump

During what was an extraordinary round-table with a handful of journalists at Stansted Airport, there was no sign of a bruised Ukrainian president who had just been publicly battered by Donald Trump.

Instead, Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared confident and hopeful as he entered the room.

Seated beside him, I observed a man who very much wanted to give the impression that he was strong and defiant despite uncertainty about his country's future - and that of his own.

Just 48 hours earlier, he had effectively been ejected from the Oval Office following that disastrous confrontation with President Donald Trump and his vice president JD Vance.

But in London, he was greeted by the UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and European leaders with open arms, in a show of solidarity.

During the conversation with journalists, he refused to be drawn into the drama that unfolded at the White House and evaded questions about his relationship with the US president, including whether he would apologise.

When I asked him about his own future and whether he would resign, he said he was exchangable for NATO membership.

The same qualities that have made President Zelenskyy so spectacular for three years, including as a great communicator, worked against him and his country with the Trump administration.

The question now is, are things irrecoverable with the Americans?

Before the blow-up, Donald Trump indicated that the US would continue to send weapons to Ukraine, that the minerals deal ensured the US was treated fairly and he didn't rule out US boots on the ground.

It might be hard to get back to that place, but it doesn't appear impossible.

And it will be the task of the likes of Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron to act as the brokers.

Zelenskyy: 'We understand importance of America and we are grateful'

After being repeatedly chastised by Donald Trump and JD Vance for not thanking the US for its support to Ukraine in Washington on Friday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reaffirmed his gratitude for America online.

Posting on X, Ukraine's president says his country "of course" understands "the importance of America".

"We are grateful for all the support we’ve received from the United States," he said.

"There has not been a day when we haven't felt gratitude. It's gratitude for the preservation of our independence - our resilience in Ukraine is based on what our partners are doing for us - and for their own security."

Reflecting on his weekend in the UK, Zelenskyy said he saw "even more unity, even more willingness to cooperate" from Ukraine's European allies.

"Everyone is united on the main issue - for peace to be real, we need real security guarantees. And this is the position of all of Europe - the entire continent."

He added: "What we need is peace, not endless war. And that's why we say security guarantees are the key to this."

Hello and welcome back to our live updates of the Ukraine war.

It's been a busy weekend for Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his fiery meeting with Donald Trump at the White House on Friday.

The Ukrainian leader followed that with a much more successful visit to the UK, where he was met with a warmer Downing Street reception than the one he got in the Oval Office.

Zelenskyy's meeting with Sir Keir Starmer was followed by a summit on Ukraine with other world leaders in London, where the prime minister suggested a coalition of European allies could step up to defend Ukraine and "guarantee the peace".

The Ukrainian leader then flew to Norfolk for an audience with King Charles at his Sandringham estate.

European leaders are gathering in the capital for talks, which now come with added significance after Donald Trump's disastrous meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy last night.

Zelenskyy is already in London, where he met Keir Starmer today and thanked the UK for its "tremendous support".

Starmer, for his part, called Trump earlier for a conversation we understand was constructive and focused on finding a way forward.

It all amounts to a crucial few days in the Ukraine war - starting tomorrow in London.

Before we go, here's a brief recap of today's other main developments:

The UK announced a £2.6bn loan for Ukraine, to be paid back using frozen Russian assets;

• Zelenskyy said he is due to meet the King tomorrow;
• NATO's chief Mark Rutte said he's told Zelenskyy he needs to find a way to repair relations with Trump;
• Russia's foreign ministry said Zelenskyy's trip to Washington was a political and diplomatic "failure".

Starmer says we're at 'turning point' in war as European leaders head to London summit

With a host of European leaders on their way to London for a defence summit, Keir Starmer has said "we're at a turning point".

Among those attending the talks tomorrow - hoped to focus Europe's plan for how to police any peace in Ukraine - are leaders of Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Canada and more.

"Three years on from Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, we are at a turning point," said Starmer.

"In partnership with our allies, we must intensify our preparations for the European element of security guarantees alongside continued discussions with the United States.  

"We have an opportunity to come together to ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine that secures their sovereignty and security.  

"Now is the time for us to unite in order to guarantee the best outcome for Ukraine, protect European security, and secure our collective future."

 Ukrainians react to 'very rude' White House meeting

"I feel shocked," says one Ukrainian after Donald Trump's extraordinary meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy last night.

Our team is in Kyiv to hear the word on the street - here's what some locals have told us.

Starmer has 'constructive' call with Trump

Keir Starmer has called both Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron today.

Sky News understands both conversations were constructive and focused on finding a way forward.

These calls come a day after Volodymyr Zelenskyy's heated exchange with Trump at the White House.

Zelenskyy thanks UK for 'tremendous support'

Ukraine's president has now commented on today's meeting with Keir Starmer.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the UK for its "tremendous support" from "the very beginning of this war".

He also hailed the UK's loan - which we reported at 20.15 - as a "principled statement of support".

"This loan will enhance Ukraine's defence capabilities and will be repaid using revenues from frozen Russian assets,"

"The funds will be directed toward weapons production in Ukraine. This is true justice - the one who started the war must be the one to pay."

Starmer 'reiterates unwavering support'

A little more to bring you now from Volodymyr Zelenskyy's meeting with Keir Starmer earlier.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister "reiterated his unwavering support for Ukraine", adding the UK "will always stand with them, for as long as it takes".

"The prime minister re-stated his determination to finding a path that ends Russia's illegal war and ensures a just and lasting peace that secures Ukraine's future sovereignty and security," the statement added.

Macron says Zelenskyy is willing to restore relations - but won't say what Trump told him

Emmanuel Macron said he made a series of calls today following Donald Trump's explosive meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In an interview, he said he spoke with Ukraine's leader, Trump, Keir Starmer, NATO chief Mark Rutte and European Council chief Antonio Costa.

Preaching "calm", the French president told various Sunday newspapers that partnerships cannot fail now.

"I think that beyond the frayed nerves, everybody needs to calm down, show respect and gratitude, so we can move forward concretely, because what's at stake is too important," Macron said.

Both Macron and Starmer had taken a lead in trying to convince Trump not to rush into a ceasefire and to provide security guarantees - with each visiting the White House this week.

Macron said in the interview that Zelenskyy told him he is willing to "restore dialogue" with the US, including on a deal giving Washington access to revenues from Ukraine's natural resources.

He did not say what Trump told him in the call.

"America's manifest destiny is to be alongside Ukrainians, I have no doubts about that," he was quoted as saying in La Tribune Dimanche. 

"I want the Americans to understand that withdrawing support to Ukraine is not in their interest."

UK announces new loan for Ukraine

While Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Downing Street, his finance minister tuned in via a video call to secure more funding.

Sergii Marchenko watched on as the UK's chancellor Rachel Reeves signed papers to approve £2.6bn in loans to support Ukraine.

Those funds are linked to frozen Russian assets, as part what are called Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans.

The loan will be repaid using the extraordinary profits on those Russian assets, £236bn of which are in Europe alone.

The G7 - a group of seven wealthy democracies including the UK and US - announced $50bn for Ukraine using this type of loan last year, to be paid over time until the end of 2027.

-SKY NEWS