Zelenskyy hopes Reform UK councils will allow Ukraine flags to be flown again

Lead

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the decision by some Reform UK councils to take down the Ukrainian flag was the kind of "small mistake that can break a big friendship," as he underlined the significance of strong bilateral relations. The Ukrainian president tempered his rare foray into UK domestic politics by stressing how much the two countries "need each other" in the battle against Russia, which he said posed a threat not only to Ukraine but to Britain too.

In an interview with the Guardian after talks with Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz in London to discuss the next steps in the conflict, he said Ukraine's military position was the strongest it had been for more than two years. "Russia is not winning," he declared.

Coverage comparison

The Guardian's coverage focuses on Zelenskyy's diplomatic efforts in the UK, emphasizing his comments on the significance of strong bilateral relations. The reporting frames Russia's aggression as the primary cause of the conflict and maintains a neutral, informative tone. Direct quotes from Zelenskyy are used prominently, including his remarks about the flag controversy and his relationship with the king.

A second Guardian article highlights Zelenskyy's relationship with King Charles, with a positive and respectful tone. It details the king's previous meetings with Zelenskyy, his public show of support after the Ukrainian leader's visit to the White House, and the invitation for a state visit. The language is active and includes direct quotes from Zelenskyy expressing his admiration for the king.

Key claims

Zelenskyy revealed that he planned to invite King Charles for a state visit to Ukraine as early as this year, which would make him the most senior royal to travel to Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion. He said he had a close relationship with the king, whom he has met on numerous occasions, including when the king gave a public show of support after Zelenskyy's visit to the White House last year.

In the interview, Zelenskyy said: "Today I want to invite him [the king] very much. I don't know from the point of security. Yes, of course, we want to see him in Ukraine very much. I don't know how it will be this year, if it's possible, but of course we want to see him."

Zelenskyy said Charles had continued to support Ukraine, but refused to divulge exactly how. "It's up to his majesty to answer on such questions," he said. He added: "We have a very good relationship, you know. Today, in the morning, when I spoke by phone with my wife, with all respect to Keir [Starmer], but my wife said best regards to his majesty first, of course, and then to the prime minister, of course. So of course, we, and Ukraine, love his majesty."

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Princess Anne are the only working members of the royal family to have visited Ukraine since 2022. However, Prince Harry has been on three separate occasions, including last September, when he said he wanted to do "everything possible" to help the recovery of thousands of military personnel in the war.

Last March, the king invited Zelenskyy to his Norfolk estate, Sandringham, as the UK demonstrated its "unwavering" support after the Ukrainian leader's humiliation at the hands of Donald Trump and JD Vance in the White House. The two heads of state first met in 2023 at Buckingham Palace.

The Ukrainian president also disclosed he had pressed Starmer over funds from Roman Abramovich's £2.4bn sale of Chelsea FC, which the government has earmarked for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine, and that he wanted the UK to be aligned with the rest of Europe on sanctions.

During his visit to London, Zelenskyy attempted to reassure Britons that continuing to support Ukraine was in their national interest – after successive UK governments spent more than £20bn on military, humanitarian and economic assistance since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. "British people helped us from the very beginning of this war, it's true. It's because of security, not only values … But it's about security in Europe. It's in the interests of the UK," he said.