Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky met UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London on a rare visit abroad today, February 8.
This is Zelensky’s first stop on only his second trip abroad since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 after a visit to the United States in December. He is due to travel onto Brussels on Thursday where the European Union is holding a summit.
During his visit on Wednesday, Britain announced an immediate surge of military deliveries to Ukraine to help it fend off an intensifying Russian offensive and pledged to train Ukranian pilots .
Greeted by Sunak on the steps of Number 10 Downing Street to applause from onlookers inside and outside the British prime minister’s office, Zelenskiy thanked Britain for its support “from the first days of the full-scale invasion”.
“Thank you so much, we are proud, really, and have very good relations with Rishi,” Zelenskiy said.
Britain, which has been working with Ukrainian troops, said the extra training would ensure Ukrainian pilots were able to fly “sophisticated NATO-standard fighter jets in the future”, adding it was “part of long-term investment in their military”.
Sunak said the visit was a testament to Ukraine’s “courage, determination and fight and … to the unbreakable friendship between our two countries”.
“I am proud that today we will expand that training from soldiers to marines and fighter jet pilots, ensuring Ukraine has a military able to defend its interests well into the future.”
During the meeting, Zelensky who spoke to parliament said with the help of London, Russia will lose the war.
Zelenskiy will meet King Charles later on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said. Charles, who has visited several organisations who help Ukrainians in Britain, has called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “brutal aggression”.
Britain also set out further sanctions to target those who have helped Russian President Vladimir Putin, including manufacturers of military equipment and eight individuals who helped “maintain wealth and power amongst Kremlin elites”.
Zelenskiy, who has a close relationship with ex-prime minister of the UK, Boris Johnson, visits Britain at a time when Russia is bringing tens of thousands of recently mobilised troops to the battlefield to try to break through Ukrainian defences in eastern and Southern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s allies have promised hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles to help Kyiv resist the assault and recapture territory, but have said it will take time to train Ukrainian forces to use them effectively.
Britain has trained 10,000 Ukrainian troops brought to battle readiness in the last six months and will train a further 20,000 soldiers this year, the government said.
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