King Charles to invite Zelensky on state visit to Britain next year to show support for Ukraine five years after Russia's invasion

The UK is preparing to host Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time on an official state visit next year as a mark of the Government's solidarity with the war-torn nation.The King is expected to extend an invitation to the Ukrainian leader paving the way for the honour of such a visit in 2027.He has visited the UK 13 times since Russia's invasion in 2022 but never on an official state visit although he has previously had an audience with the King and was accorded a historic welcome by Downing Street last month.While some ceremonial aspects of a traditional state visit may be toned down in accordance with Mr Zelensky's status as wartime leader, it is understood, it would still be an important marker of the alliance between the UK and Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.The visit also comes at a time when Ukrainian relations with the US are on a knife edge after Mr Trump's apparent closeness to Russian president Vladimir Putin and recent criticism of Mr Zelensky and his handling of the war.Next year will mark the grim milestone of the fifth year since the Russians invaded its European neighbour. Last night the Russians continued to bombard Ukraine, launching fresh deadly attacks.The state visit, which Government officials confirmed was expected to take place but said was not yet finalised, was reported in today's Financial Times.While timings are still unknown, it says it is unlikely it will coincide with the G20 summit in Manchester next November, which Mr Zelensky is also invited to. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and King Charles III pictured after inspecting a guard of honour at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, in October 2025 Andy Burnham hugged Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street in October in a public show of support for the Ukrainian president Ukrainian firefighters work to extinguish a fire at an infrastructure facility following a Russian missile strike in Kyiv region on Saturday'You don't bolt a state visit on to a summit – it would dilute the desired impact,' a UK official told the FT.The King is said to be enthusiastic and open minded about plans to hold a more reserved state visit in deference to the country's continued suffering, understanding it would be inappropriate for shows of pomp normally associated with a celebratory state visit.Earlier this year, Mr Zelensky invited the King on a state visit to Ukraine when he had a private audience with the monarch at Windsor Castle.Mr Zelensky has previously warmly praised the King for being instrumental in Donald Trump previously changing his mind on supporting Ukraine during the US President's own state visit to the UK in September 2025.Mr Zelensky is also likely to make a similar public address to the one he made in Westminster Hall to hundreds of MPs, peers and officials in Parliament in 2023, when he called for support for his country from the UK, on any state visit.On his most recent visit to the UK last month, he met Andy Burnham in Downing Street and was received by an unprecedented guard of honour.'We are behind you and that will not change,' the PM told him after hugging him on the steps of Downing Street.At the time, Mr Zelensky said: 'Our people, we survived and continue to do this because we have strong partners and I'm very proud that we have one of the strongest partners in our history and it's your people, Andy.' Mr Zelensky earlier met with King Charles in Buckingham Palace, during which he personally thanked His Majesty for his 'unwavering support' for his country Mr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska are welcomed by Ireland's President Catherine Connolly as they arrive at Aras an Uachtarain in Dublin during his visit to Ireland in December 2025He has also previously met former PM Sir Keir Starmer as well as former Tory PM Rishi Sunak on his first post invasion visit when he made his landmark address.Despite Donald Trump's previous support of Ukraine, which Mr Zelensky praised the King for being instrumental in, the history between the countries has been chequered during the Trump administration.And a war of words has erupted in recent weeks over Mr Trump's ongoing criticism and rebukes of the Ukrainian leader.Mr Trump said Ukraine should 'get a new leader' after the Ukrainian president criticised his surprise diesel deal with Putin ahead of the US midterm elections.Mr Zelensky condemned Mr Trump's announcement he had struck a personal deal with Putin as 'a gift to Putin'.He also denounced the US President's lifting of sanctions to bring in the diesel as a move that would allow the Russian leader to 'kill more people' and 'wage war for longer'.But laying the blame for the diesel shortage firmly back at Mr Zelensky's door, Mr Trump said Ukraine should never have attacked Russian refineries.'I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal,' he told reporters as the row deepened. 'I think it's time for Ukraine to get a new president.' An employee stands among the ruins of a kindergarten damaged following a Russian mass missile attack in Kyiv on SaturdayWarning that Mr Zelensky 'better damn well stop', he accused him of making 'problems for the world and our farmers and ranchers' with strikes on refineries.'We told them, 'Do whatever you want, but don't hit the diesel fuel, because this is a big problem, a big shortage'.'And what does he do? He goes and hits the diesel fuel.'He went on to pass an executive order blocking planned US sanctions on oil and gas exports which was gleefully welcomed by the Russians.However just a week ago Mr Trump agreed to send 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine although Mr Zelensky tempered Trump's apparent volte face on helping the country with a warning they may not be delivered until 2032.He said he had asked Washington to provide a 'winter support package' of 100 Patriot interceptors per month as the Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure continued 'every single day' and that 500 missiles 'would be enough to protect our skies'.'We are asking for decisions that can guarantee the protection of lives not the day after tomorrow or sometime later but at the very moment the threat is there – when Russia is killing and destroying.'Russia has continued its assault on the country and its capital Kyiv as the winter approaches.Russian strikes have left Kyiv's three million citizens facing almost daily power cuts, water shortages and a near-failing sewage system, as Putin tries to break the morale of the Ukrainians.This morning, several waves of Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv damaging valuable infrastructure, hitting the Pivnichnyi Bridge.City Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a residential building and a kindergarten had also been hit and six people including a 14 year old girl had been injured in the attack.Mr Zelensky said that substations connecting the Rivne and Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plants with Kyiv and central regions of the country were also struck overnight.The Ukrainian air force said that, as of Saturday morning, Russia had launched 172 Shahed type drones, of which 137 were jet-powered, and an unspecified number of ballistic missiles.At the same time, Ukrainian forces struck several targets in Russia, including the Saratov oil refinery and the Almaz military factory.