King Charles III may affect Trump’s position on Ukraine, - Politico
Ukraine's allies are trying to do everything possible to keep Donald Trump on their side. This week, King Charles III of England was brought in to help.
This is stated in an article by Politico, as reported by Censor.NET.
Thus, together with First Lady Melania Trump, the US leader will become the first president of the United States to be officially received at Windsor Castle.
Together with First Lady Melania Trump, the US leader will become the first US president to be officially received at Windsor Castle.
A lavish reception is being prepared in London, with a banquet, an honorary escort and a military air parade. The aim is to highlight the long history of military cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United States.
King as an ally
The British government is counting on royal "charm" to help Prime Minister Starmer persuade Trump to increase pressure on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Officially, peace talks in Ukraine are not on the agenda, but sources expect discussions on this issue to take place behind closed doors.
One senior military official said the king is "very close" to the details of the ceasefire negotiations and personally to President Zelenskyy, giving London a unique advantage - a monarch who has quietly but consistently shown his support for Kyiv - and is ready to contribute to countering US scepticism on this issue.
Support for Ukraine
Trump has deep respect for the British monarchy. Before leaving for London, he called Charles an "such an elegant gentleman" and described the visit as a "great honour".
"He has been far less reverent toward Zelenskyy, to put it mildly, suggesting at various points that he bears responsibility for Russia’s invasion of his country and humiliating him at their infamous meeting in the Oval Office earlier this year.
At a time of highly uncertain American support, the Ukrainian leader has found a champion in the king.
Charles unexpectedly welcomed Zelenskyy for tea at Sandringham in the aftermath of the Oval Office debacle, and then for lunch at Windsor Castle just ahead of June’s NATO summit," the publication writes.
Attempts to persuade Trump
During his visit, Trump will spend the night in Windsor, where a carriage procession, lunch in the state dining room and a state banquet will take place. A former diplomat said that behind the scenes, the king may try to persuade him to support Ukraine.
Charles recently called for "a just and lasting peace" in his message on Ukraine's Independence Day. Experts do not rule out that he will mention Ukraine again in his speech at the banquet. The symbolism of the visit underscores the role of Britain and the United States as wartime allies.
The publication notes that the question remains whether the king's overtures will make a difference.
"One government adviser pointed to Trump’s royal reception by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, arguing it helped pave the way for a successful NATO summit, at which he recommitted to the alliance," the article states.
This time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are accompanying Trump to the United Kingdom, and they will also try to persuade them to support Ukraine.
"If the U.K.’s main job so far has been attempting to keep Trump in the room for talks about Ukraine, then the king will at least contribute to that effort," journalists added.
