KING Charles has welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky for a private audience at Windsor Castle in a show of support for Ukraine.
The King invited the Ukrainian president to the castle ahead of a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing with world leaders this afternoon.
It is Mr Zelensky’s third audience with the King at a royal residence this year.
After arriving, he was welcomed with a royal salute and was treated to a rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem.
It marks the first time the Ukrainian leader has received a ceremonial welcome in Britain.
The president was then invited to join the King as the pair inspected the 1st Battalion of the Grenadier Guards.
Dressed in all black, Zelensky said “thank you so much” to the guard who led the inspection.
He was then taken inside the castle for a private audience with the King.
Members of the public could be seen eagerly watching on from the gates of the quadrangle.
Their meeting comes just hours before a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in London.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron is set to join the summit virtually.
The group – which last met virtually in August – seeks to bring an end to the horrific war in Ukraine and deter future Russian aggression.
It is understood the leaders will discuss methods of increasing pressure on Russia while strengthening Ukraine’s defences.
The meeting comes as Donald Trump ramps up the pressure on tyrant Vladimir Putin with direct sanctions.
On Wednesday, the US President blacklisted Russia’s two largest oil companies – Rosneft and Lukoil.
It appeared to be a show of mounting frustration with Putin, who violated Nato airspace once again yesterday.
Sanctions were slammed down shortly after plans collapsed for direct peace talks between Trump and Putin in Budapest.
Speaking after the Hungary summit was pulled, Trump said: “I have good conversations…
“…and then, they don’t go anywhere. They just don’t go anywhere.”
The White House explained it was punishing Putin for his “lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine”.
The fallout for Russia bit almost immediately, and global oil prices surged nearly five per cent overnight on Wednesday.
King Charles last hosted Mr Zelensky at Windsor Castle in June.
The pair also met at Sandringham in March – with The King hosting Zelenksy just days after his stunning bust up with Donald Trump.
It came less than 48 hours after Trump and Zelensky’s angry exchange in the Oval Office in Washington.
Speaking at the time, Zelenksy said: “I’m very happy that His Majesty the King accepted my meeting tomorrow.”
Charles has always given his wholesale support to the president, standing by the besieged nation since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
He said Ukraine has witnessed “indescribable aggression” following an “unprovoked attack on their land”.
The pair also met during Zelensky’s surprise visit to the UK in February 2023.
Charles told him “we’ve all been worried about you and thinking about your country for so long”.
