Ukrainian leader welcomed to Downing Street garden as Britain pledges groundbreaking weapons production pact while Russia unleashes deadly overnight barrage
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky secured a landmark military production agreement with Britain today as he swept through London for high-stakes talks with the King and Prime Minister ahead of tomorrow’s crucial NATO summit.
The Ukrainian president was given a hero’s welcome at Downing Street, where Sir Keir Starmer announced the “first of its kind” industrial military co-production deal that will see the UK and Ukraine work together to boost weapons manufacturing.
In extraordinary scenes in the No10 garden, Zelensky and the PM met with troops from Operation Interflex — the UK-led mission training Ukrainian soldiers for frontline combat — as Britain doubled down on its support for Kyiv.
‘Massive step forward’
Standing alongside battle-hardened Ukrainian troops, Sir Keir revealed the groundbreaking agreement, telling reporters: “We’ve discussed the issues across the conflict, what more we can do to support.”
I’m really proud that this afternoon we are able to announce an industrial military co-production agreement, the first of its kind so far as Ukraine and the UK are concerned, which will be a massive step forward now in the contribution that we can continue to make, and is really a symbol of not only our joint work in this conflict, but the 100-year agreement that we’ve put in place.
The dramatic announcement came as Zelensky arrived in Britain reeling from Russia’s latest murderous assault — with Moscow firing 352 drones and 16 missiles at Ukraine overnight, killing at least 10 civilians including seven in Kyiv.
Royal welcome at Windsor
Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian leader was warmly received by King Charles at Windsor Castle, where the monarch hosted him for lunch in a show of Britain’s unwavering support.
Charles and Zelensky were pictured chatting as they made their way through the historic castle, with both men smiling as they shook hands in the Grand Corridor.
The royal meeting underscored the UK’s commitment to Ukraine at a time when questions swirl about American support under President Trump.
‘Coalition of murderers’
In a defiant message, Zelensky lashed out at Russia and its allies after the overnight carnage, describing Moscow, North Korea and Iran as a “coalition of murderers.
The Ukrainian president said preliminary reports indicated Russia had used North Korean missiles to attack Kyiv in the devastating barrage that left families mourning their dead.
Parliament honours war hero
During his whirlwind visit to London, Zelensky was also welcomed to the Palace of Westminster, where he met Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and his Lords counterpart, Lord McFall of Alcluith.
The meetings reflected Parliament’s solidarity with Ukraine as the nation fights for its survival against Putin’s invasion.
NATO summit uncertainty
The high-profile London visit comes just 24 hours before NATO leaders gather in The Hague for a two-day summit, with defence spending set to dominate the agenda.
But in a sign of the diplomatic tensions ahead, Zelensky has been invited to the summit but will not take part in its main discussions — and it remains unclear whether he will attend at all.
Sources suggest the Ukrainian leader is weighing whether to make the trip to the Netherlands, with some reports indicating he may skip the gathering if there’s no guarantee of meaningful engagement with key allies.
Britain leads the way
The UK’s announcement of the military co-production agreement sends a powerful signal that Britain intends to lead European support for Ukraine, regardless of shifting political winds across the Atlantic.
The deal represents a new phase in UK-Ukraine cooperation, moving beyond simply supplying weapons to actually producing them together — a move that could prove crucial as the war grinds into its fourth year.
As Zelensky departed London tonight, the message was clear: while others may waver, Britain stands firm with Ukraine in its darkest hour.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at 10 Downing Street
Photo by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street, taken on 1 March 2025, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
