Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Britain next week and is due to address European leaders at Blenheim Palace to discuss Ukraine, European security and democracy.
The Ukrainian president met Foreign Secretary Keir Starmer at the NATO summit in Washington last week, but this will be his first meeting with a wider Labour government delegation, which is keen to reiterate Britain’s continuing support.
Zelenskiy’s travel plans are rarely confirmed, but the source said he was “90 percent certain” to attend.
Thursday’s meeting is the fourth conference of the European Political Community, a grouping launched as the brainchild of French President Emmanuel Macron after Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
It is seen as a “hugely significant” opportunity for Starmer to not only host up to 50 European leaders but also to restore confidence in Britain and show the world the country is back on the international stage after years of reputational damage caused by Brexit.
The EPC aims to promote closer ties between EU and non-EU leaders in an informal setting and has so far met in Spain, Moldova and the Czech Republic.
Other non-EU countries that have been invited include the UK, Norway, Iceland, Georgia, Kosovo, Serbia, Albania and Turkey, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has not attended any of the summits so far, is not thought to have confirmed his intention to attend.
As host, Starmer will address the opening plenary, which will be held in one of the halls of Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. He is expected to highlight the UK’s commitment to Ukraine and President Zelensky, as well as to rebuilding relations after Britain’s departure from the EU.
The prime minister has already pledged to forge closer ties with the EU, and the new European Relations Minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds, travelled to Brussels on Monday for his first meeting with former Brexit negotiator Maroš Šefčovič.
Ahead of the meeting, Starmer said “Europe is at the frontline of the greatest challenge of our time”.
“Russia’s barbaric wars continue to reverberate across the continent, while vile smuggling rings send innocent people on dangerous journeys that too often end in tragedy.”
“I said we would change the way the UK engages with our European partners to work together to make progress towards resolving these generational challenges. That work starts on Thursday with the European Political Community meeting.”
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris has pledged to support the UK at a European level and has instructed his ministers to increase contact with his counterpart in London.
Mr Starmer is due to hold a series of bilateral meetings, including with Mr Harris at Chequers yesterday evening and a separate meeting with Mr Macron on Thursday, as well as hear views from EU leaders on what a new security and defence arrangement between Britain and the EU after Britain leaves the bloc could look like.
Ukraine will lead discussions in a plenary session with leaders and then be invited to three breakout sessions focusing on defense and democracy, as well as sessions on the disinformation crisis, energy and migration.
Macron is also determined to use the opportunity to send a strong message of support for Ukraine from the EU in the face of new threats from President Vladimir Putin and more ominous comments this week from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who denounced a promise at a NATO summit to eventually back Ukraine’s membership of the defence bloc.
Security will be tight around the summit, with airspace restrictions in place over the Oxfordshire Palace from July 14 to 18. Thames Valley Police said police drones and the National Police Air Service would be patrolling the restricted airspace.
