LONDON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for years of American backing in an announcement 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 which will end in a peace deal to finish Russia’s three-year-old invasion of his nation. “There shall be many conferences and joint efforts within the coming days and weeks,” Zelenskyy mentioned in a video posted to the presidential web site.
“There shall 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 assembly with Trump and Vice President JD Vance demonstrated the divergence in Ukrainian and U.S. visions of Russia’s warfare, blame for which Trump has repeatedly and falsely attributed to Kyiv whereas additionally looking for to undermine Zelenskyy’s legitimacy.
Demonstrators rally downtown to point out their assist for Ukraine on March 2, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois.
Scott Olson/Getty Photos
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 step with our imaginative and prescient.”
In his Sunday assertion, Zelenskyy mentioned Ukrainians “perceive the significance of America, and we’re grateful for all of the assist we’ve acquired from the USA. 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 countless warfare,” 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 mentioned he had agreed with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron that the U.Ok. and France would work with Ukraine to formulate a peace plan that may 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 stress on Russia. The prime minister mentioned that any lasting peace settlement should guarantee Ukraine’s sovereignty and safety, and that Kyiv should be on the negotiating desk.
Within the occasion of a deal, Starmer mentioned Europe will proceed to assist Ukraine militarily to discourage any future army motion by Russia. He additionally mentioned there shall be a “coalition of the keen” to assist defend Ukraine.
Starmer mentioned the UK is able to again the plan with boots on the bottom and planes within the air. He mentioned 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 sturdy 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.Ok., on March 2, 2025.
Justin Tallis/POOL/AFP through Getty Photos
Zelenskyy mentioned Sunday he had been given “clear assist from Europe,” reporting “even higher 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 mentioned. “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 frequent positions — the traces we should obtain and the traces we can’t compromise on,” Zelenskyy mentioned. “These positions shall be offered to our companions in the USA.”
“Strong and lasting peace, and the proper settlement on the tip of the warfare are really our shared precedence,” he added.
ABC Information’ Patrick Reevell contributed to this text.
