Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's plane landed in the early afternoon at London's "Stansted" airport on his way back from the US, after the ill-fated meeting with Donald Trump at the White House, BNR reported.
Zelensky has been invited to the summit of EU member state leaders, dedicated to European security in light of the war in Ukraine.
Keir Starmer convened the meeting in London to outline measures for compliance with a possible future peace agreement in Ukraine. According to him, such a deal should also include the United States.
The hopes for unity between European nations and America on the future of Ukraine were dashed by the scandal between Trump and Zelensky. Unity is also difficult to talk about among European partners.
The "Financial Times" recently reported that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had insisted that the EU begin "direct discussions" with Russia on a ceasefire in the war against Ukraine.
The British publication claims to have seen a letter from Orbán to European Council President Antonio Costa, in which the Hungarian prime minister opposes efforts to build a broad consensus on Ukraine among the 27 members of the bloc.
"It has become clear that there are strategic differences in our approach to Ukraine that cannot be overcome," Orbán wrote to Costa. He cited a UN Security Council resolution, adopted with the support of the US and Russia this week, which does not address Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and calls for a "rapid end to the conflict". European capitals abstained from the vote. According to Orbán, "the resolution signals a new phase in the history of the conflict and makes all previously agreed formulations by the European Council irrelevant".
Commenting on the scenes at the White House today, Nigel Farage, a close ally of President Trump, said they were "pathetic" and would make Putin "feel like a winner". Farage called for a peace agreement.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told the BBC that he had held two conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after the meeting at the White House, dariknews.bg reported.
“I cannot reveal what was discussed, but I told Zelensky that we must respect what Trump has done for Ukraine so far,“ Rutte said.
He stressed that Zelensky must “find a way“ to restore his relations with US President Donald Trump after their disagreements during the meeting at the White House.
Rutte also recalled that during Trump's first administration (2017-2020) the US approved the sale of the Javelin anti-tank missile system, which gave Ukraine the opportunity “to oppose“ of the Russian invasion in 2022.
„We must give Trump his due,“ the NATO Secretary General added.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier criticized US President Donald Trump for his attitude towards Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during yesterday's meeting at the White House, DPA reported, quoted by BTA
"When negotiating partners are humiliated in front of the whole world, diplomacy fails", Steinmeier told DPA. "Yesterday's scene at the White House left me breathless. I never believed that we would have to defend Ukraine from the US", he added.
The German president noted that Europeans have not abandoned their commitment to freedom, democracy and the rule of law. "We must not allow Ukraine to adopt a position of subservience," Steinmeier stressed.
Trump yesterday accused Zelensky of creating threats to global security by recklessly refusing to negotiate a peace agreement with Russia. The US president warned the Ukrainian leader that he was "creating the risk of World War III", which would take the lives of millions of people. Trump also told Zelensky that Ukraine was not in a position to tell Washington how it should approach Moscow. The US president also accused Zelensky of disrespect and ingratitude.
Zelensky, for his part, called for "no compromises with a murderer" and accused Trump of endangering the security of both Ukraine and the United States with his approach to Russia.
Steinmeier today stressed that Germany "urgently needs a strong government" to deal with the growing crisis. A week ago, Germany held elections for the Bundestag, in which the conservatives won the most votes. Their leader Friedrich Merz is likely to be the next chancellor. Preliminary talks with the Social Democrats on forming a coalition government have already begun.
Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Analene Berbock described yesterday's situation in the White House as the beginning of a "new era of shame".
"Last night, as we all understood, a new era of shame began. An era of disgrace, in which more than ever we must defend the international order based on rules and the rule of law against the law of the strongest. Otherwise, no free country with a stronger neighbor will be able to sleep peacefully," Berbock said, quoted by Agence France-Presse.
She added that European leaders, who will meet next week, will have to decide on a comprehensive financial package for Ukraine. Berbock also called for Germany to provide additional aid to Kiev in the amount of 3 billion euros.
German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeke also expressed his support for Ukraine and called for the rapid allocation of 3 billion euros in aid for Ukrainian defense, Reuters reported. "In order to provide the necessary support to Ukraine, we must now do what we can as quickly as possible," Habeke said in a post on the social platform "Ex".