Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to “maintain momentum and continue working intensively” on efforts to secure peace in Ukraine when they met in Rome on Saturday.
Downing Street said the two leaders had discussed recent advances towards a peace deal to end the Ukraine war when they met following the Pope’s funeral.
Mr Zelensky had earlier met with Donald Trump within St Peter’s Basilica at the heart of the Vatican before the funeral ceremony began.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron were also pictured alongside the American and Ukrainian presidents in images from the encounter.
The US president has claimed a deal is “very close” to being agreed and that Ukraine and Russia now need to meet at “a very high level” for talks.