Ukraine: Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky meeting in No 10

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is meeting Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street, as the Ukrainian president seeks to shore up European support for his country’s war effort.

The talks come as the conflict with Russia heads into its third winter and amid the prospect of Donald Trump, who is widely considered to be less supportive of Ukraine, winning the US presidential election in November.

A red carpet was laid out in Downing Street for Zelensky and the two leaders shook hands and embraced on the steps of No 10.

Sir Keir is also due to meet Mark Rutte, the new head of the Nato military alliance, at No 10 later.

Rutte will join talks with Sir Keir and Zelensky, before holding a one-to-one meeting with the prime minister. Zelensky is then due to continue his diplomatic tour of Europe with visits to France and Italy.

Sir Keir said it was “very important we’re able to show our continued commitment to support Ukraine” and it was a chance to “go through the plan, to talk in more detail”.

An agenda for the Downing Street talks has not been made public, but Zelensky is likely to press Sir Keir for permission to use British-supplied missiles on Russian territory.

He has publicly called for his forces to be allowed to target Russian military logistic targets deep inside Russia using Storm Shadow missiles but has so far been frustrated in his efforts. The US also needs to give permission for the missiles to be used inside Russia.

Ukraine had hoped a planned summit later this week in Ramstein, Germany, which was set to bring the country’s biggest military backers together, would yield movement on the use of long-range missiles.

But that summit has been delayed because US President Joe Biden is unable to attend while he oversees the emergency response to Hurricane Milton, which has caused widespread damage in Florida.

Russia has made modest but strategically important gains on the battlefield in recent weeks, though a decisive breakthrough from either side remains elusive.

Zelensky is keenly aware that US support for Ukraine may cool if Trump returns to the White House, which would leave Ukraine more dependent on European allies like the UK.

The UK has contributed £12.8bn to Ukraine in military and other aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, and more than 200,000 Ukrainian refugees have temporarily settled in the UK.

Since taking office, the prime minister has continued the policy of the previous Conservative government in offering strong financial and diplomatic support for Ukraine’s war effort.

It is the second time Zelensky has visited Downing Street since Sir Keir was elected prime minister. In July, the Ukrainian president became the first foreign leader to be hosted at No 10 since the change of government.

While Sir Keir was still leader of the opposition, he also met Zelensky in Ukraine in February, and held talks with him at a Nato summit in July.

That meeting of Nato countries saw the bloc promise Ukraine an “irreversible path” to membership, something the Ukrainian government considers vital for its security.