Zelenskyy Arrives in London Ahead of “Coalition of the Willing” Meeting

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in London on October 24 as the city prepares to host a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing — a European-led initiative spearheaded by the U.K. and France, Orda.kz reports, citing The Kyiv Independent.

Formed earlier this year, the coalition seeks to create long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, potentially including the deployment of a multinational peacekeeping force after the war.

According to the British government, the London meeting will focus on how allies “can further strengthen Ukraine’s hand and cripple Russia’s ability to continue to wage war.”

Later, he is scheduled to hold talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street.

Zelenskyy’s trip follows his October 17 meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which Kyiv failed to secure an agreement on acquiring Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Shortly afterward, the White House canceled Trump’s planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest and introduced new sanctions against Russia’s two largest oil companies. 

Incidentally, reports have surfaced that Kirill Dmitriev, special representative of Russian President Vladimir Putin and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), has arrived in the United States for negotiations.

A source in Ukraine’s Presidential Office told the Kyiv Independent that Kyiv hopes the London talks will emphasize energy cooperation and weapons supplies, as Russia steps up strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

French President Emmanuel Macron earlier said that 26 countries are prepared to send troops or offer other forms of support under the coalition’s framework.

However, both European and Ukrainian officials have expressed doubts about the plan’s feasibility and timeline.