King Charles greets Zelensky with ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle

King Charles officially welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Windsor Castle on Friday.

This was the first ceremonial welcome Mr. Zelensky received in the United Kingdom.

Arriving in the castle courtyard, Mr. Zelensky shook hands with the King and received a royal salute.

The Ukrainian national anthem was played before inspecting the 1st Battalion of the Grenadier Guard.

“Thank you very much,” Mr. Zelensky, dressed in black, said to Major Ben Tracey, the captain of the honor guard. He was then taken in to meet the King while the people watched from the doors.

The visit comes ahead of talks on Friday with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and other leaders of the so-called coalition of the willing on how to increase pressure on Moscow and strengthen Ukraine’s defences.

Measures under consideration would include further efforts to cripple the economy by supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war efforts, withdrawing Russian oil and gas from the global market and seeking to use frozen assets to finance Ukraine’s defense.

Mr. Zelensky, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof and NATO secretary general Mark Rutte will be in London; The other 20 leaders will attend a meeting of the coalition of volunteers led by Sir Keir and France’s Emmanuel Macron.

Friday was the fifth meeting between the King and Mr. Zelensky. The two also met at Windsor Castle in June and Sandringham in March.

The pair shared an audience at Blenheim Palace in July 2024 following a reception for European leaders attending the European Political Community Summit.

Their first date took place at Buckingham Place in February 2023; Almost a year after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.