If bear hugs were army divisions and brave words cash euros, Volodymyr Zelensky would have ended his tour of European capitals this week the best-armed and best-funded leader in the world.
‘We stand with Ukraine,’ vowed Sir Keir Starmer after hosting a summit for Zelensky and top European allies at Downing Street on Monday. ‘We support you in the conflict and support you in the negotiations to make sure that this is a just and lasting settlement.’ Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that ‘nobody should doubt our support for Ukraine’ and added that ‘the destiny of this country is the destiny of Europe.’ France’s president Emmanuel Macron promised that Europe has ‘a lot of cards in our hands.’ Zelensky went from London to Rome yesterday, where his staunch supporter Giorgia Meloni offered more hugs, while Pope Leo gave his blessing.
