NEED TO KNOW

  • King Charles met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine on Monday, June 23
  • Buckingham Palace said the King had an audience with the Ukrainian president at Windsor Castle
  • The update came following reports of a major Russian attack on Kyiv

King Charles met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the wake of the latest Russian attack on Ukraine.

On June 23, Buckingham Palace announced that the King, 76, had an audience with the president of Ukraine at Windsor Castle that day. 

The palace said that a luncheon followed the meeting. Photos released of King Charles and Zelenskyy, 47, showed the pair shaking hands and walking through Windsor Castle together.

The update came after what The New York Times described as “a major Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv,” reportedly killing at least 8 people and injuring over 30 others.

King Charles and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at Windsor Castle on June 23, 2025.

 JONATHAN BRADY/POOL/AFP via Getty

According to the outlet, Zelenskyy arrived in the U.K. just hours after the attack and is expected to urge for more military support during his trip to Britain. 

The Times reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also expected to host Zelenskyy, with the Ukrainian leader’s London trip falling before the NATO summit begins in The Hague on June 24.

While the British royals are historically neutral on most political issues, the family has voiced support for Ukraine on several occasions since the Russian invasion began in February 2022. 

King Charles has met Zelenskyy multiple times since the conflict began, most recently at Sandringham in March.

King Charles and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at Windsor Castle on June 23, 2025.

 JONATHAN BRADY/POOL/AFP via Getty

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Prince William and Kate Middleton have also sent words of support as the country fights for its future.

Also in March, Prince of Wales, 43, visited British troops in Estonia to hear about how the personnel were securing NATO’s eastern flank through Operation Cabrit. 

Estonia borders Russia, and the operation is the U.K.’s contribution to NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Estonia and Poland, a mission with increased significance amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.