President Zelensky arrives in the UK to meet Starmer after the brutal Trump row

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in the UK and will meet with the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer earlier than expected after the US President had the Ukrainian leader thrown out of the White House following a row started by the US.

President Zelensky flew overnight from America to the UK and arrived at Stanstead Airport on Saturday morning.

A No10 spokeswoman said, “The Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy will be meeting in Downing Street this afternoon.”

Speaking to GB News Micheal Portillo waded into the US row and accused the US Vice President JD Vance over his “ironic” remark he gave President Zelensky.

Portillo is far from impressed with Vance and Trump, he said, “An irony that occurred to me was that JD Vance came to Europe and lectured us on the death of free speech.

“I rather agreed with him. To see Zelensky being silenced, being shouted at every time he tried to speak, I did not see much support of free speech in that particular encounter.”

President Zelensky said in a statement, “We are very grateful to the United States for all the support. I’m thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support, and American people. Ukrainians have always appreciated this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion.

Read more related news:

Farage warns the White House row ‘will make Putin feel like the winner’

Washington has switched sides as Trump slams Zelensky for his ‘hatred’ of Putin and warns Kyiv ‘is gambling with World War III’

Pentagon deputy nominee fails to answer a ‘simple question’ did ‘Russia invaded Ukraine?’

Battle lines are drawn as the EU ‘stands by Ukraine’ and ‘Europe has to play its part on defence and step up’

“America’s help has been vital in helping us survive, and I want to acknowledge that. Despite the tough dialogue, we remain strategic partners. But we need to be honest and direct with each other to truly understand our shared goals. It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival. As President Reagan once said: ‘Peace is not just the absence of war’ We’re talking about just and lasting peace – freedom, justice, and human rights for everyone.

“A ceasefire won’t work with Putin. He has broken ceasefires 25 times over the last 10 years. A real peace is the only solution.

“We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that.

“A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We’ve been fighting for three years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side.

I cannot change Ukraine’s position on Russia. The Russians are killing us. Russia is the enemy, and that’s the reality we face. Ukraine wants peace, but it must be a just and lasting peace. For that, we need to be strong at the negotiation table.

“Peace can only come when we know we have security guarantees, when our army is strong, and our partners are with us.

“We want peace. That’s why I came to the United States, and visited President Trump. The deal on minerals is just a first step toward security guarantees and getting closer to peace. Our situation is tough, but we can’t just stop fighting and not having guarantees that Putin will not return tomorrow.

He continued, “It will be difficult without the US support. But we can’t lose our will, our freedom, or our people. We’ve seen how Russians came to our homes and killed many people.

“Nobody wants another wave of occupation. If we cannot be accepted to NATO, we need some clear structure of security guarantees from our allies in the US. Europe is ready for contingencies and to help fund our large army. We also need the US role in defining security guarantees – what kind, what volume, and when.

“Once these guarantees are in place, we can talk with Russia, Europe, and the US about diplomacy. War alone is too long, and we don’t have enough weapons to push them out entirely. When someone talks about losses, every single life matters. Russia invaded our homes, killed our people, and tried to erase us. This isn’t just about territories or numbers – it’s about real lives. That’s what we need everyone to understand.”

“I want the US to stand more firmly on our side. This is not just a war between our two countries; Russia brought this war on to our territory and into our homes. They are wrong because they disrespected our territorial integrity.

“All Ukrainians want to hear a strong US position on our side. It’s understandable the US might look for dialogue with Putin. But the US has always spoken about ‘peace through strength. And together we can take strong steps against Putin. Our relationship with the American president is more than just two leaders; it’s a historic and solid bond between our peoples.

“That’s why I always begin with words of gratitude from our nation to the American nation. American people helped save our people.

“Humans and human rights come first. We’re truly thankful. We want only strong relations with America, and I really hope we will have them.”