Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that Ukraine will not “silently die” and could sustain its recent surge of attacks deep into Russia if the war continues. The Ukrainian president made the remarks as he arrived in London for talks at Downing Street with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Key Allies Gather in London
Sir Keir Starmer is hosting discussions between Zelensky and the leaders of France and Germany, some of Kyiv’s staunchest allies. The talks are expected to cover cooperation on air defence and wider support for Ukraine. The meeting on Sunday evening comes on the same day a Russian drone strike damaged a storage centre for spent nuclear fuel near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
The attack sparked a fire that was extinguished within an hour, and officials confirmed that radiation levels remain within safe limits. In a social media post, Zelensky said the focus of Sunday’s meeting would be “our defence in the war, greater cooperation for the security of all of Europe in the area of air defence” and discussion of diplomatic prospects. “Europe must be part of the negotiations and must be strong,” he added.
Ukraine's Growing Capabilities
The talks follow a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on St Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, on Saturday. This underscores Kyiv’s growing ability to hit targets deep inside Russia. “We will not just silently die. We will respond,” Zelensky told Sky News on Sunday. “We will be stronger and stronger each day.”
Writing on X, the Ukrainian leader condemned the “extremely vile” strike near Chernobyl, calling it “an increase in Russia’s brazenness.” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi described the incident as “deeply concerning” due to the large amounts of nuclear material stored at the facility.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a proposal by Zelensky for face-to-face talks on the four-year-old war, claiming he saw “no point” in a meeting. The so-called E3 group of nations meeting the Ukrainian leader are some of Kyiv’s closest allies. The UK and France are leading the “coalition of the willing” initiative to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a peace process.
Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Downing Street on Sunday evening for the crucial discussions.
