King Charles hosts surprise meeting with President Zelensky amid urgent peace push

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a private audience with King Charles on Monday afternoon, according to Buckingham Palace.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed the meeting, telling GB News: "The President of Ukraine visited The King this afternoon."

The audience followed a high-profile summit at Downing Street on Sunday evening, where Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed President Zelensky alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for urgent talks on European security.

Against the backdrop of escalating Russian attacks, including Moscow's recent deployment of a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, the four leaders focused on strengthening Ukraine's defensive capabilities and increasing the production of advanced weaponry.

The discussions also centred on efforts to secure a pathway towards peace. In a joint statement, the leaders called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

The statement praised Zelensky's recent diplomatic outreach to Moscow and outlined a framework for any lasting settlement. 

Key proposals included legally binding security guarantees for Ukraine and the deployment of a multinational force on Ukrainian territory to safeguard future stability.

The leaders also agreed that frozen Russian state assets should remain inaccessible until Moscow compensates Ukraine for the destruction caused by the conflict.