Olena Zelenska defies Putin's threats as she meets with Queen Camilla in London
Queen Camilla continues to lead the Royal Family as her husband King Charles is undergoing cancer treatment.
Queen Camilla was pictured deep in conversation with Olena Zelenska, the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on an official visit to the UK.
During their meeting held on February 29, Ms Zelenska and the Queen sat in the Garden Room at Clarence House, the London residence of King Charles and his wife.
This visit came on the same day Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his yearly State of the Nation speech to his country.
While much of it was focused on domestic policies, the address was also filled with threats to the West and Ukraine.
In the address, Putin claimed Russia did not start the war in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas but is now determined to defend its population, which he considers Russian, and to fulfill all the goals of what he calls a "special military operation".
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Putin also accused the US of "dragging" Russia into a dangerous arms race and NATO of pushing the world closer to the "use of nuclear weapons" with suggestions Western soldiers may be deployed in Ukraine.
This isn't the first time Ms Zelenska and the Queen cross paths. In November 2022, the Ukrainian First Lady headed to Buckingham Palace to attend a reception hosted by Camilla to raise awareness of violence against women.
Ms Zelenska was also a guest at the Coronation of the King and Queen in May, representing her war-torn nation at the historic event alongside Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
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During their latest meeting, Queen Camilla looked sombre in a blue dress, while Ms Zelenska donned a white jacket and a pair of black wide-legged trousers.
Over the past months, Mr Zelensky's wife has been a powerful advocate around the world for Ukraine. In a BBC interview in December, she warned the West about the "mortal danger" faced by Ukraine amid dwindling military aid.
Queen Camilla was alone during today's meeting with Ms Zelenska as King Charles continues his cancer treatment.
Ms Zelenska and Mr Zelensky had held another key meeting with royals - the Prince and Princess of Wales - in October 2020, months before the Russian invasion began in their country.
At the time, the presidential couple were undertaking a two-day visit to the UK, and their meeting had marked the first official audience held at Buckingham Palace since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.