Britain’s King Charles III welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to his Sandringham estate on Sunday, following the Ukrainian leader’s participation in a high-level defense summit in London.
Zelensky arrived at the royal retreat in eastern England aboard a military helicopter, which was seen descending over the estate at approximately 5:25 pm (17:25 GMT). Local residents, some waving Ukrainian flags, gathered outside in hopes of catching a glimpse of his arrival.
A motorcade escorted the president through the estate grounds to Sandringham House, where King Charles greeted him at the doorstep with a handshake and an embrace. The two leaders briefly posed for photographs before proceeding inside for a private discussion over tea in the house’s saloon room.
The meeting lasted just under an hour, with Zelensky departing the estate by helicopter at around 6:35 pm.
This marks the latest in a series of encounters between the British monarch and the Ukrainian leader. The pair first met during Zelensky’s surprise visit to the UK in February 2023 at Buckingham Palace and later held a private meeting at the European Political Community summit in Oxfordshire in July 2024.
Their latest discussion came amid heightened geopolitical tensions following Zelensky’s recent high-profile clash with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office on Friday.
The visit also followed King Charles’ invitation to Trump for an unprecedented second state visit to the UK, underscoring Britain’s diplomatic engagements amid ongoing global security concerns.
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