LONDON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for years of American backing in a press release ending a tumultuous week of transatlantic diplomacy that noticed a dramatic and public break with President Donald Trump’s administration.
Zelenskyy framed this week’s outreach as the start of an extended course of that will lead to a peace deal to finish Russia’s three-year-old invasion of his nation. “There will probably be many conferences and joint efforts within the coming days and weeks,” Zelenskyy stated in a video posted to the presidential web site.
“There will probably be diplomacy for peace,” he added. “And for the sake of all of us standing collectively — Ukraine, the entire of Europe, and essentially America.”
Zelenskyy’s fiery Friday meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance demonstrated the divergence in Ukrainian and U.S. visions of Russia’s conflict, blame for which Trump has repeatedly and falsely attributed to Kyiv whereas additionally searching for to undermine Zelenskyy’s legitimacy.
Demonstrators rally downtown to indicate their help for Ukraine on March 2, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois.
Scott Olson/Getty Photographs
Russian officers celebrated the disastrous assembly. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov instructed state tv on Sunday that Trump’s administration is “quickly altering” American “overseas coverage configurations,” placing them “largely in keeping with our imaginative and prescient.”
In his Sunday assertion, Zelenskyy stated Ukrainians “perceive the significance of America, and we’re grateful for all of the help we now have acquired from the US. There hasn’t been a single day after we have not felt grateful. As a result of that is gratitude for the preservation of our independence.”
“We’d like peace, not infinite conflict,” he added. “And that’s the reason we are saying that safety ensures are the important thing to this.”
Zelenskyy attended a summit of European leaders in London on Sunday. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated he had agreed with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron that the U.Okay. and France would work with Ukraine to formulate a peace plan that can then be offered to the U.S.
Starmer outlined a plan together with the continuation of support flows to Ukraine and the sustaining of financial strain on Russia. The prime minister stated that any lasting peace settlement should guarantee Ukraine’s sovereignty and safety, and that Kyiv have to be on the negotiating desk.
Within the occasion of a deal, Starmer stated Europe will proceed to assist Ukraine militarily to discourage any future army motion by Russia. He additionally stated there will probably be a “coalition of the prepared” to assist defend Ukraine.
Starmer stated the UK is able to again the plan with boots on the bottom and planes within the air. He stated he additionally acknowledges that not all international locations will have the ability to make this type of dedication.
Starmer confused that any deal will want robust U.S. backing to succeed.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France’s President Emmanuel Macron embrace after holding a gathering throughout a summit at Lancaster Home in central London, U.Okay., on March 2, 2025.
Justin Tallis/POOL/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Zelenskyy stated Sunday he had been given “clear help from Europe,” reporting “even better unity, even stronger readiness for cooperation” from his weekend conferences.
“Everyone seems to be united on the primary level — for peace to be actual, actual safety ensures are wanted,” the president stated. “And that is the place of all of our Europe — of your complete continent.”
“Within the close to future, all of us in Europe will form our widespread positions — the strains we should obtain and the strains we can’t compromise on,” Zelenskyy stated. “These positions will probably be offered to our companions in the US.”
“Sturdy and lasting peace, and the correct settlement on the tip of the conflict are really our shared precedence,” he added.
ABC Information’ Patrick Reevell contributed to this text.
