President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in the UK on Monday as the country’s strong ally prepared to provide further military aid to alter the direction of the war.
The UK government announced the arrival of Zelenskyy on Monday morning, saying he would meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
It is Zelenskky’s fourth travel to Europe in the last few days. After visiting Germany and Italy and meeting their leaders and Pope Francis, he paid an unannounced visit to Paris on Sunday evening to meet French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Today — London,” Zelenskyy’s official Telegram Channel said in a Monday message. When it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air, the United Kingdom is at the forefront. This collaboration will continue. I’m going to see my pal Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations in person and through delegations.”
Zelenskyy and Sunak will meet in Sunak’s rural residence
Sunak’s office confirmed the meeting would occur at Chequers, the prime minister’s rural residence outside of London. This is Zelenskyy’s second visit to the United Kingdom since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The United Kingdom has emerged as one of Ukraine’s most important military allies, delivering short-range missiles and Challenger tanks to Kyiv and training 15,000 Ukrainian troops on British territory. Britain claimed last week that it had deployed Storm Shadow cruise missiles with a range of more than 250 kilometres (150 miles) to Ukraine, the first known supply of the weaponry that Kyiv has long desired from its allies.
According to Sunak’s office, Britain would confirm on Monday that it is providing Ukraine with hundreds of air defence missiles and “long-range attack drones” with a range of more than 200 kilometres (120 miles).
“This is a crucial moment in Ukraine’s resistance to a terrible war of aggression that they did not choose or provoke,” Sunak added. “They require the international community’s ongoing support to defend against the barrage of unrelenting and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily reality for over a year.”