Sir Keir Starmer found himself in an awkward situation when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked him if he was alone as the British leader arrived at a meeting without the rest of his delegation. The two world leaders met on Sunday in Armenia ahead of Monday's European Political Community (EPC) summit.
Strained Exchange in Yerevan
In a small conference room in Yerevan, Armenia's capital, the pair engaged in strained chit-chat while waiting for the rest of the UK's delegation to arrive. After exchanging pleasantries, Zelensky asked Starmer, 'You're alone?' Starmer, who was shaking hands with other Ukrainian officials, did not answer immediately. A woman off-camera then explained that the rest of the British team would be arriving shortly.
To fill the silence, Starmer began asking about Zelensky's travel plans to Armenia. Zelensky replied that he had travelled straight from Ukraine, adding, 'Straight from Ukraine, it means through Poland.' An excruciating silence followed, broken only when Zelensky mentioned he had taken a train, describing it as 'long, but comfortable.'
Scrambling for words, Starmer said, 'Very good... I like it because when I first came to Ukraine, I flew in and out - obviously before the conflict. But if you get the train, you get to see how big the country is.' Another awkward silence ensued, ending only when the rest of Starmer's team finally arrived.
Zelensky Thanks King Charles
During the meeting, Zelensky also thanked King Charles for his 'strong words' on the defence of Ukraine during his state visit to the United States. 'Best regards and thanks to His Majesty for strong words in the United States supporting our people,' Zelensky told Starmer. King Charles, in a speech to Congress last week, spoke of the importance of NATO and support for Kyiv, amid concerns over Donald Trump's waning interest in the conflict. The King's address has been widely interpreted as a gentle pushback against some of the US president's peeves, including Ukraine, from which his attention has been diverted by the Iran war.
Sanctions and Shadow Fleet
Zelensky also thanked Starmer for the UK's sanctions against Russia and efforts to counter its shadow fleet, saying the measures set a 'great example' for other allies. 'I think that Russia's economy feels it,' Ukraine's leader said. Starmer in March announced that Britain's commandos would be able to board and halt Moscow's shadow fleet vessels as they ferried oil to support its war in Ukraine through UK waters.
The Prime Minister landed in Armenia on Sunday afternoon and is expected to hold more meetings with European counterparts on the margins of the EPC summit. He is expected to continue his push for closer ties with the European Union on defence, security and the economy, as part of his reset with Brussels. He was accompanied to Yerevan by EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds and national security adviser Jonathan Powell.
Support for Kyiv and the fallout from the Iran war will be high on the agenda at the event. The EPC was formed in 2022 after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
