Britain is stepping up pressure on its allies to unlock frozen Russian assets and channel them toward Ukraine’s defense, as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in London on Friday for a new
round of talks with Western partners.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to push the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” to take tougher steps against Moscow, including removing Russian oil and gas from global markets and supplying Kyiv with additional long-range missiles, his office said.
The diplomatic push follows a European Union summit in Brussels, where leaders pledged to cover Ukraine’s financial needs for the next two years but stopped short of approving a controversial plan to use Russian assets to fund a large-scale loan to Kyiv, amid Belgian resistance.
Zelenskiy seeks weapons and funding
Addressing EU leaders on Thursday, Zelenskiy appealed for more long-range missiles and urged the bloc to act on frozen Russian assets. He also praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s sudden decision to sanction Russia’s two largest oil companies—a reversal after Trump had floated holding a summit with Vladimir Putin just a week earlier.
Starmer, speaking ahead of the London meetings, accused the Russian leader of rejecting repeated peace overtures.
“Time and again we offer Putin the chance to end his needless invasion, to stop the killing and recall his troops, but he repeatedly rejects those proposals,” Starmer said. “We must ratchet up the pressure on Russia and build on President Trump’s decisive action.”
Moscow threatens retaliation
The Kremlin warned of a “painful response” if Western nations seize Russian assets. Putin dismissed the latest U.S. sanctions as “unfriendly” but said they would not significantly harm Russia’s economy.
Meanwhile, the EU approved its 19th package of sanctions, including a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, in a continued effort to choke off Moscow’s energy revenues.
High-level talks in London
Friday’s summit in London includes both in-person and virtual participants, among them NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Zelenskiy began his visit with a meeting at Windsor Castle with King Charles, a consistent public supporter of Ukraine. The two last met privately in February following Zelenskiy’s tense encounter with President Trump in Washington. Photo by President of Ukraine from Україна, Wikimedia commons.
