WOODSTOCK: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday (Jul 18) called for Europe to stay united in support of Kyiv as he arrived for a summit in Britain with leaders from around the continent.

“For us it’s very important to maintain unity in Europe because always this unity leads to strong decisions,” Zelenskyy said ahead of the meeting.

The Ukrainian leader will sit down for talks with around 45 leaders for the European Political Community summit at the grandiose Blenheim Palace near Oxford.

The gathering comes at what Zelenskyy described as a “tough period” for Ukraine in its war against Russia’s invading forces.

Beyond the summit, Zelenskyy said he would hold separate talks with Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer and meet King Charles III.

“We will sign an intergovernmental agreement on support for the Ukrainian defence and industrial complex, discuss future defence cooperation, and expand our defence capabilities,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

“Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, the UK has been one step ahead in its determination to support Ukraine. This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terror.”